Thomas Beattie, the former footballer who came out as gay earlier this year, has told The Advocate that a queer athlete turning away from sport could mean that we miss out “on the next Cristiano Ronaldo.” Beattie came out as gay in June, writing a powerful essay for ESPN, in which he detailed the difficulties in being openly gay in a sport that is notorious for their lack of LGBTQ+ inclusivity.
Beattie said he never felt like being gay and having a career in football was an “option” because society has continuously told him that “my masculinity was linked to my sexuality – something we of course know is a false assumption.” And now, in an interview for Inside with The Advocate, he has urged young queer athletes to find one person they can