Open letter from a former Spanish footballer: «You can play soccer being LGTBIQ«
When a month ago Josh cavallo publicly declared his homosexuality it was opening a gap that surely will not be closed again. His coming out of the closet had a brutal impact on the world of football and is a reference for other athletes who now dare to talk about their sexuality. This is the case of a former soccer player from Real Murcia, which is still active, and this week sent to the offices of Radio Murcia of Cadena SER an anonymous letter in which he recounts his experience.
«First of all, I would like to show my utmost appreciation to Josh cavallo for sharing your feelings with all of us. And now say, like him, that yes, you can play football being gay, bisexual, as I consider myself, or whatever«Begins the letter from the anonymous footballer, who explained that he does not want to be the visible face of the movement, the main reason why he did not want to make his name known:«I think the important thing is more the message itself than the name that appears in this letter«.
However, the player ensures that his family, his teammates and his friends already know of his choice. «For too little time, I took the path of being me, being me with my family, being me with my friends, being me with my soccer teammates ... In short, being me with everyone around me, more or less close, without trying to hide anything from me.
Show yourself openly to the public
The debate over whether showing himself openly to the public was positive or negative for him and his career is what has made him keep his sexuality a secret. However, he says the scales have been tipped slightly towards writing this message. "I think this can make people like me, who have felt hidden, who have listened to comments and have had to shut up, see that they have many people by their side to count on.".
A normal life
In that sense, the anonymous player stressed that the conditions are not yet in place to separate the private life of that of a professional footballer. «I really appreciate being able to continue being that me, with my personal side, separated from my work, and which I have every right to protect. Even so, I consider that it is important to take the step of telling my more personal life, that it is seen that one can dedicate himself to this, more or less professionally, regardless of who and how he is. From the outside, it may seem that this is a fact, that it should not be necessary or said. But unfortunately, it is not quite like that yet."Wrote the footballer, who said that for three years he has lived with his boyfriend, although in the early days they could not make a living"totally normal«.
“Taking the step of telling a colleague, at first, cost, but less and less. And the liberation after doing it is great ”. The footballer says goodbye in the letter saying that he hopes this will help people to be who they want to be and not be afraid to love anyone.
