The British LGBTQ advocacy group Stonewall says Daniels is the primary skilled participant to come back out within the UK within the final 30 years.
“I’ve identified my entire life that I am homosexual, and I now really feel that I am prepared to come back out and be myself.” Daniels stated in his assertion.
“In reaching this level, I’ve had a number of the greatest assist and recommendation from my household, my Membership, my agent and Stonewall, who’ve all been extremely pro-active in placing my pursuits and welfare first,” Daniels continued. “I’ve additionally confided in my team-mates within the youth staff right here at Blackpool, and so they too have embraced the information and supported my determination to open up and inform folks.”
“I’ve hated mendacity my entire life and feeling the necessity to change to slot in. I wish to be a job mannequin myself by doing this.”
Daniels signed an expert contract with Blackpool FC in February and performed within the staff’s last sport of the season after scoring 30 targets for Blackpool’s youth staff and main that staff to the quarterfinals of the FA Youth Cup, the place he scored in his staff’s 3-2 loss to Chelsea’s youth staff.
“Blackpool Soccer Membership has labored intently with Stonewall and the related footballing organisations to assist Jake and is extremely proud that he has reached a stage the place he’s empowered to precise himself each on-and-off the pitch,” the membership stated in a press release.
“We’re proud that Jake has felt in a position to share his fact with the world,” Stonewall stated of the information. “To come back out publicly as the primary brazenly homosexual participant in males’s skilled soccer within the UK within the final 30 years takes braveness. We’re honoured to be supporting him!”
“For a very long time I’ve thought I must conceal my fact as a result of I wished to be, and now I’m, an expert footballer,” Daniels informed Sky. “I requested myself if I ought to wait till I’ve retired to come back out. No different participant within the skilled sport right here is out. Nonetheless, I knew that may result in a very long time of mendacity and never with the ability to be myself or lead the life that I wish to.”
“Since I’ve come out to my household, my membership and my teammates, that interval of overthinking every little thing and the stress it created has gone. It was impacting my psychological well being,” Daniels continued.
“Now I’m simply assured and joyful to be myself lastly.”
