Identifying as LGBTQ+ in Professional Soccer: An Unwelcoming Atmosphere
“There's still so much to accomplish” - the athlete on anti-gay prejudice in football
“You don't belong on this earth” ... “What are you doing here?” ... “Stop breathing.”
After announcing he was gay in 2021, player the athlete has faced constant threats and hateful comments on online platforms.
“When I first saw these messages, I was devastated,” Cavallo states. “Nobody should have to endure such words.
“I'm trying to get better as a player and be the best I can be during matches, and then face criticism due to my identity. It's appalling.”
Player Cavallo was at Adelaide United four years ago when he emerged as the sole publicly out elite soccer player in the world.
This summer 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 English football.
The 25-year-old balances his sports career for the semi-professional team by speaking up on inclusion matters and leveraging his platform - he has more than one million followers on social media - to promote fairness and inclusion.
“Definitely, there's enormous work ahead,” Cavallo comments when asked if football still has a problem with discrimination.
“I don't go more than a week without encountering problems.”
‘Individuals wish to hurt me’
The player was raised in Melbourne
It took years for Cavallo to build up the bravery to say “I'm gay” before coming out on 27 October 2021.
“My only desire is play football and receive fair treatment,” he said in an related clip.
The player was 21 and making a name for himself at his Australian club in the premier division when, with the support of his team-mates, he publicly came out.
“The future was uncertain. I had no expectations,” 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 mobile phone exploded with messages of support. The response was incredible.”
A prominent club were among numerous famous teams around the world to show solidarity with the player, with then manager Jurgen Klopp saying: “I appreciate that he did it because it sparks conversation.”
Barcelona defender Gerard Pique also offered support, writing on social media that “the world of football is lagging behind and your actions drive progress”, while Adelaide United released a comment backing their “extraordinary” and “brave” player.
Others, however, were less welcoming.
Cavallo quickly became a target of homophobic abuse by opposition fans.
In January 2022 Melbourne Victory were penalized A$5,000 over discriminatory chants from spectators directed at Cavallo during a match.
“The things I'd hear were hurtful and derogatory towards LGBTQ people,” he says.
“I didn't react because I knew that would only feed the haters.”
A scary event occurred at a petrol station in Australia, where Cavallo was assaulted by someone who recognised him from the coverage.
“It was terrifying,” he recalls. “The thought crossed my mind ‘this is real - individuals intend to hurt me’.
“Should this be tolerated? Definitely not. But by coming out, this is what it brings.
“I hope that the next person who reveals their orientation while playing football at a high level won't face the journey I have endured.”
The player says the daily death threats and abusive messages have taken a toll on his mental health.
“It's quite sad because I am having to explain why I deserve a place on the soccer pitch for my identity,” he states.
“We don't sit straight people down and ask ‘what gives you the right in football?’.
“Many individuals see me as a cheerful, optimistic person. But sometimes when I lean on my fiance, his name, and he gets to see a lot that happens behind the scenes.”
‘Premier League player coming out would move mountains’
Cavallo's decision to reveal his sexuality helped inspire 17-year-old Blackpool forward another athlete to come out as the Britain's sole publicly out playing soccer professional in May 2022.
However, there are no openly gay or bisexual players in the top English division.
“It would create massive change,” says Cavallo on the impact a Premier League player revealing their orientation would have.
“But I'm not going to sugar-coat it. Numerous frightening aspects that would come this person's way. In the world of football, being an openly gay player is a highly hostile environment.”
Over two decades after a pioneering player - the UK's initial out soccer professional - died by suicide in 1998, Cavallo has spoken about the “harmful male culture” that still exists in professional soccer.
“Simply attend to a game and see the hostile environment and male-dominated culture that the crowd brings,” he says.
“There is still a lot of work to make sure there is a secure environment in football for individuals like me and Jake.
“We haven't seen it (additional athletes revealing their orientation) as frequently as desired.
“My role is to continue advocating for principles I believe in, and strive for taking out the harmful male norms in soccer locker rooms and creating a safe space.”
‘I'm here to create change’
Cavallo received an honorary doctorate from Flinders University in his former city in 2022, honoring his efforts as a inspirational figure in athletics and a advocate for fairness
Cavallo says football has allowed him to have conversations within team environments about revealing one's orientation.
Yet, he is critical of Fifa, after the Middle Eastern nation, where homosexual partnerships are against the law, hosted the men's World Cup in 2022.
The 2034 tournament is scheduled in another Gulf state, where same-sex attraction is also illegal.
“Am I impressed that the global championship is in countries that criminalise same-sex marriages, where individuals like myself will be imprisoned for merely living on that land? It's frightening,” says Cavallo.
“I get messages [from residents of such nations] saying ‘I face imprisonment for being who I am - can you help me?’.
“It breaks my heart that individuals are incarcerated for being who they are.
“There are countries that are significant soccer markets and they don't accept LGBTQ+ people. Those are the countries that tend to target me.”
Nevertheless, Cavallo says he won't cease advocating.
“Soccer has enabled dialogue in the changing room. It lets me communicate and educate people who want to learn more.
“Not everyone is going to like you for your identity. But I have found my family. I've connected with similar people.
“My purpose is to drive progress. That's what I'm here for.”
