This Pro Soccer Player Says Coming Out Has Been ‘Only Positive’

It's long been rumored that there are likely quite a number of closeted gay athletes -- and statistically, that bears out. One reason many say that they aren't more open about it is possible backlash and hate. But one professional soccer player says that after coming out in May, he hasn't experienced any of that.

"The reaction has been amazing," Andy Brennan, an Australian soccer player told the Telegraph. Brennan came out in via an Instagram post. "I haven't had one negative comment. That was something I feared a lot with everyone I told, but everyone -- teammates, family, friends -- it's been amazing."

In his coming out post, Brennan wrote, "it's taken me years to get comofrtable saying this -- I'm gay. I was scared it would affect my friendships, my teammates, and my family. But the support of the people around me has been so great and helped me to get to the final step; being completely open."

And it's apparently not just the ones around him that are respecting his decision to come out.

"I've had no problems with opposition fans either, everyone's been really supportive," he told the Telegraph. "The way it's affected my life has been only positive, it's been so much better." According to him, he thought the decision to come out to end his career.

"I pushed it away because I didn't think it was normal, and I thought people would judge me," he said of his sexuality. "And like I wouldn't be able to play [soccer] and be friends with the same people. I thought it would change my life completely." And now it has in small ways allowed him to be more comfortable in himself, but also become an agent of change for those around him.

"The more people that come out the better, and then education is paramount," he said. "It's one thing to say, 'Don't say this word because it can make people feel bad,' and saying, 'Don't say this word because it will make Andy feel bad.' Then you start thinking about putting someone down directly, and that's a lot more emotional and less abstract."

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