Being Gay in Professional Soccer: A Toxic Environment

“You don't belong on this earth” ... “Why are you here?” ... “Don't take another breath.”

After announcing his homosexuality in 2021, player the athlete has received daily death threats and hateful comments on social media.

“When I first saw these messages, I was devastated,” Cavallo explains. “No-one wants to read things like that.

“I'm trying to get better as a player and reach my full potential on the pitch, and then get put down because of who I am. It's disgusting.”

Midfielder Cavallo was at Adelaide United four years ago when he became the only openly gay top-flight male professional footballer in the world.

Recently he left Australia to sign with non-league Peterborough Sports, who compete before audiences of about 400 in the sixth division, the sixth tier of the English soccer system.

This young athlete combines playing for the Cambridgeshire part-timers by speaking up on inclusion matters and leveraging his platform - he has more than one million followers on Instagram - to champion equality and inclusion.

“Absolutely, there's enormous work ahead,” Cavallo comments when asked if football still has a problem with discrimination.

“Rarely a week passes without hearing about an issue.”

‘People want to harm me’

It took years for the athlete to work up the courage to say “I'm gay” before revealing his sexuality on October 27th, 2021.

“All I want to do is play football and receive fair treatment,” he stated in an accompanying video.

Cavallo was twenty-one and making a name for himself at his Australian club in Australia's top flight when, with the support of his team-mates, he publicly came out.

“I didn't know what was ahead. I didn't know what to expect,” he says. “It felt like the right time in my life. I wanted to take the next step.”

His emotional coming out video, entitled ‘Josh's Truth’, went viral on social media.

“My phone was flooded with messages of support. The response was incredible.”

Liverpool were one of many high-profile clubs around the world to show solidarity with the player, with then manager Jurgen Klopp saying: “I appreciate that he took this step because it sparks conversation.”

Barcelona defender the athlete also expressed backing, posting online that “the world of football is lagging behind and you are helping us move forward”, while his former club issued a statement backing their “extraordinary” and “brave” player.

Others, however, were not so accepting.

Cavallo quickly became a subject to homophobic abuse by rival supporters.

During early 2022 a competing team were fined five thousand dollars over discriminatory chants from fans directed at the player during a game.

“The comments I encountered were painful and derogatory towards my community,” he explains.

“I didn't react because responding would encourage detractors.”

A scary event occurred at a gas station in Australia, where the athlete was physically attacked by an individual who identified him from the coverage.

“That was a scary moment,” he recalls. “The thought crossed my mind ‘this is real - people want to harm me’.

“Is it acceptable? Absolutely not. But through my disclosure, this is what it brings.

“My wish is that the next person who reveals their orientation while competing in soccer at a professional standard doesn't have to experience the journey I have endured.”

The player says the daily death threats and abusive messages have taken a toll on his psychological well-being.

“It's quite sad because I am having to explain why I deserve a place on the football field for being who I am,” he states.

“We don't sit straight people down and ask ‘what gives you the right in football?’.

“A lot of people see me as a smiling, positive person. But sometimes when I rely on my partner, his name, and he gets to see much of what occurs privately.”

‘Premier League player coming out would move mountains’

The player's choice to reveal his sexuality helped prompt 17-year-old Blackpool forward Jake Daniels to announce he was gay as the UK's only openly gay playing soccer professional in spring 2022.

Nevertheless, there are no openly gay or bisexual players in the top English division.

“It would create massive change,” comments Cavallo on the impact a Premier League player revealing their orientation would have.

“But I must be honest. Numerous frightening aspects that would come this person's way. In the world of football, being an openly gay player is a very toxic place.”

Over two decades after a pioneering player - Britain's first openly gay male footballer - took his own life in 1998, the current athlete has discussed the “toxic masculinity” that persists in professional soccer.

“You just need to go to a match and observe the hostile environment and male-dominated culture that the audience creates,” he explains.

“Much remains to be done to make sure there is a safe space in soccer for individuals like me and Jake.

“We haven't seen it (additional athletes revealing their orientation) as much as we would like.

“My role is to continue advocating for what I think is right, and work towards eliminating the harmful male norms in soccer locker rooms and creating a safe space.”

‘My mission is to drive progress’

The player says football has enabled discussions inside dressing rooms about revealing one's orientation.

However, he is disapproving toward Fifa, after Qatar, where same-sex relationships are against the law, staged the global tournament in 2022.

Future World Cup will be held in Saudi Arabia, where same-sex attraction is similarly prohibited.

“Am I impressed that the World Cup is in countries that ban gay unions, where people like me will be imprisoned for merely living on their territory? It's scary,” says the athlete.

“I get messages [from people living in these countries] saying ‘I'm about to be put in prison for my identity - can you help me?’.

“It's devastating that people are getting locked up for being who they are.

“There are countries that are significant soccer markets and they reject the queer community. These places that often focus on me.”

Despite this, the footballer says he won't cease advocating.

“Soccer has enabled dialogue in the locker room. It lets me communicate and inform individuals who seek understanding.

“Not everyone is going to like you for who you are. But I've discovered support. I have found my community.

“My purpose is to drive progress. That's my objective.”