How gay soccer players can kick homophobia.

last updated 8 January 2015

United Kingdom

Johann Hari

Gays can get hitched in today’s Britain—but they still can’t be role models, said Johann Hari in London’s Independent. Despite the increasing acceptance of homosexuality, gay teens still often feel deficient, and they are six times more likely to commit suicide than straights. “The best way to show these gay kids they are normal is for some of the deities of our national religion”—soccer—to come out of the closet. But gay athletes are fearful, largely because Britain’s only openly gay player, Justin Fashanu, “was hounded and pilloried” until he killed himself, in 1998. To change the culture, we have “to kick homophobia out of football with the same force as racism.” Top straight players could make anti-homophobia videos to be shown before the games, for instance, just as anti-racism videos were shown 20 years ago. Designated games could raise money for charities that work with gay teens. Of course, even if we do this, it will still take “a brave, ballsy footballer to come out.” The rest of us will have to show him it was worth it.