Gay footballer Andy Brennan: Coming out has been amazing

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</span> <div id="bbccom_sponsor_section_1_2_3_4" class="bbccom_slot " aria-hidden="true"> <div class="bbccom_advert"> <script type="text/javascript"> /*<![CDATA[*/ (function() { if (window.bbcdotcom && bbcdotcom.adverts && bbcdotcom.adverts.slotAsync) { bbcdotcom.adverts.slotAsync('sponsor_section', [1,2,3,4]); } })(); /*]]>*/ </script> </div> </div> </div> <div class="container"> <div class="container--primary-and-secondary-columns column-clearfix"> <div class="column--primary"> <div class="story-body"> <h1 class="story-body__h1">Gay footballer Andy Brennan: Coming out has been amazing</h1> <div class="byline"> <span class="byline__name">By Steve Holden</span> <span class="byline__title">Newsbeat reporter</span> </div> <div class="with-extracted-share-icons"> <div class="story-body__mini-info-list-and-share"> <div class="story-body__mini-info-list-and-share-row"> <div class="mini-info-list-wrap"> <ul class="mini-info-list"> <li class="mini-info-list__item"><div class="date date--v2" data-seconds="1566207839" data-datetime="19 August 2019">19 August 2019</div></li> </ul> </div> <div class="share-tools--event-tag"> <div id="comp-pattern-library-5" class="distinct-component-group container-twite"> <ul class="sharetools"> <li class="twite__channel-out twite__channel-out--desktop twite__channel-out--facebook twite__channel-click-extracted--facebook twite__list-elements" aria-hidden="true"> <a class="extracted__channel-link extracted__channel-link--facebook" onclick="window.open('https://web.archive.org/web/20190821074636/http://www.facebook.com/dialog/feed?app_id=58567469885&redirect_uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fspecial%2Fshared%2Fvj_sharetools%2Ffb_red_uri.html&link=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fnewsbeat-49372109%3FSThisFB&display=popup', '_blank', 'toolbar=no,scrollbars=yes,resizable=no,fullscreen=no,top=50,left=50,width=555,height=615').opener = null" href="#" tabindex="-1"> <span class="extracted__icon extracted__icon--facebook" 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src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190821074636im_/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/5498/production/_108365612_avellinom-andybrennan-5.jpg" width="976" height="549"> <span class="off-screen">Image copyright</span> <span class="story-image-copyright">Mark Avellino Photography</span> </span> </figure><p class="story-body__introduction">Andy Brennan admits he was terrified before telling his team-mates he was gay.</p><p>"You build it in your head that everyone's going to react badly," he tells Radio 1 Newsbeat.</p><p>But since becoming Australia's only openly-gay male professional footballer he says everything has been "amazing".</p><p>The 26-year-old plays in Melbourne for Green Gully, who are in the Australian equivalent of the English Championship. </p><p>Andy's played for teams including Newcastle Jets, South Melbourne and Oakleigh Cannons.</p><div id="bbccom_mpu_1_2_3" class="bbccom_slot mpu-ad" aria-hidden="true"> <div class="bbccom_advert"> <script 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font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;"> View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"><div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div></a> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190821074636/https://www.instagram.com/p/BpdulIUnl9f/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Sydney trips just got a little bit better now little Leo Barry 🐕 (you ⭐️) is about #owlyagoing #boxer #boxerdog</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190821074636/https://www.instagram.com/andybrennan36/" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Andy Brennan</a> (@andybrennan36) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2018-10-28T05:08:24+00:00">Oct 27, 2018 at 10:08pm PDT</time></p></div></blockquote> <div class="embed-report-js"><a class="embed-report-link" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190821074636/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/contact-us/editorial" aria-label="Report Instagram post by andybrennan36">Report</a></div> <p class="off-screen" id="jump-linkhttps://www.instagram.com/p/BpdulIUnl9f/" tabindex="-1">End of Instagram post by andybrennan36</p> </div> </div> </div> </div><figure class="media-landscape no-caption full-width"> <span class="image-and-copyright-container"> <div class="js-delayed-image-load" data-alt="Presentational white space" data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190821074636oe_/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/604B/production/_97415642_007_in_numbers_624.png" data-width="624" data-height="1"></div> </span> </figure><p>He made his announcement in May. </p><p>He says his team-mates weren't shocked - some were "surprised" - but everyone has been supportive.</p><p>"You live this double life where you've got a secret about yourself and you don't want people to find out.</p><p>"Then when you go to training you need to focus on your game… not on your sexuality. But it's hard not to think about it because the two are so intertwined.</p><p>"It's your life," he says.</p><figure class="media-landscape has-caption full-width"> <span class="image-and-copyright-container"> <div class="js-delayed-image-load" data-alt="Picture of Andy Brennan playing football" data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190821074636oe_/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/10C76/production/_108362786_andybrennangetty1.jpg" data-width="976" data-height="710"></div> <span class="off-screen">Image copyright</span> <span class="story-image-copyright">Getty Images</span> </span> <figcaption class="media-caption"> <span class="off-screen">Image caption</span> <span class="media-caption__text"> Andy (right) used to play for South Hobart </span> </figcaption> </figure><p>We speak to Andy a few weeks after the publicity around <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190821074636/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-49093329" class="story-body__link">the gay footballer Twitter account</a>, which was deleted.</p><p>Its first tweet claimed the account holder was a professional footballer who had come out to his family and would "reveal his identity soon".</p><ul class="story-body__unordered-list"><li class="story-body__list-item"><a href="/web/20190821074636/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-49114747" class="story-body__link">Why fans want a top UK footballer to come out</a></li></ul><p>Andy hopes his own experience will reassure any other professional footballer who wants <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190821074636/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-49114747" class="story-body__link">to go public with their sexuality one day</a>.</p><p>"I had to be myself," he says. "If anyone had anything bad to say I couldn't really care because it's who I wanted to be.</p><p>"Negative opinions shouldn't matter because there is so much support."</p><div class="social-embed"><div class="social-embed-post social-embed-instagram"> <div class="embed embed-instagram"> <div class="embed-region embed-core-hidden" role="region" aria-label="Instagram post by andybrennan36"> <a class="off-screen jump-link" href="#jump-linkhttps://www.instagram.com/p/B0vH0nvnQLZ/">Skip Instagram post 2 by andybrennan36</a> <blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B0vH0nvnQLZ/" data-instgrm-version="12" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190821074636/https://www.instagram.com/p/B0vH0nvnQLZ/" style=" background:#FFFFFF; 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font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;"> View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"><div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div></a> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190821074636/https://www.instagram.com/p/B0vH0nvnQLZ/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Bring back ☀️🏖⚽️</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190821074636/https://www.instagram.com/andybrennan36/" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Andy Brennan</a> (@andybrennan36) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2019-08-04T09:01:24+00:00">Aug 4, 2019 at 2:01am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote> <div class="embed-report-js"><a class="embed-report-link" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190821074636/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/contact-us/editorial" aria-label="Report Instagram post by andybrennan36">Report</a></div> <p class="off-screen" id="jump-linkhttps://www.instagram.com/p/B0vH0nvnQLZ/" tabindex="-1">End of Instagram post 2 by andybrennan36</p> </div> </div> </div> </div><figure class="media-landscape no-caption full-width"> <span class="image-and-copyright-container"> <div class="js-delayed-image-load" data-alt="Presentational white space" data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20190821074636oe_/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/604B/production/_97415642_007_in_numbers_624.png" data-width="624" data-height="1"></div> </span> </figure><p>Andy acknowledges the British football scene may be more intimidating than what he experiences in the Australian game.</p><p>"I've been to a few games in England and the crowds are a lot more… vocal. I get that's part of the culture.</p><p>"Soccer games in Australia are a little more family friendly and if you yell things out then people frown upon it."</p><p>There are currently no out, professional footballers in the English and Scottish leagues. </p><p>Previously, Robbie Rogers, who played for Leeds United, came out while he was playing in the US Major Soccer League and former Aston Villa player Thomas Hitzlsperger revealed his sexuality after he'd retired. </p><p>In 2018, the FA published its In Pursuit Of Progress report which reinforced its support of LGBT players and fans.</p><p>Its Equality, Diversity and Inclusion plan states it will continue working with charity Stonewall on the Rainbow Laces campaign, which aims to make football and other sports more gay-friendly. </p><figure class="media-landscape no-caption full-width"> <span class="image-and-copyright-container"> <div class="js-delayed-image-load" data-alt="line" 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data-entityid="topic_link_bottom"><a href="/web/20190821074636/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/czv6rjvdy9gt/australia">Australia</a></li><li class="tags-list__tags" data-entityid="topic_link_bottom"><a href="/web/20190821074636/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/cp7r8vgln2wt/lgbt">LGBT</a></li><li class="tags-list__tags" data-entityid="topic_link_bottom"><a href="/web/20190821074636/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/cr6vvn50dpvt/andy-brennan">Andy Brennan</a></li></ul></div></div></div> <div class="share share--lightweight show ghost-column"> <div id="share-tools"></div> <h2 class="share__title share__title--lightweight"> Share this story <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190821074636/http://www.bbc.co.uk/help/web/sharing.shtml">About sharing</a> </h2> <ul class="share__tools share__tools--lightweight"> <li class="share__tool share__tool--email"> <a 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class="date date--v1" data-seconds="1564114953" data-datetime="26 July 2019">26 July 2019</div> </div> </div> </div> </a> </li> <li class="unit unit--regular" data-entityid="more-on-this-story#2"> <a href="/web/20190821074636/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-49093329" class="unit__link-wrapper"> <div class="unit__body"> <div class="unit__header"> <div class="unit__title"> <span class="cta"> 'Gay footballer' deletes Twitter account </span> </div> <div class="unit__meta"> <div class="date date--v1" data-seconds="1563938338" data-datetime="24 July 2019">24 July 2019</div> </div> </div> </div> </a> </li> <li class="unit unit--regular" data-entityid="more-on-this-story#3"> <a href="/web/20190821074636/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-46378383" class="unit__link-wrapper"> <div class="unit__body"> <div class="unit__header"> <div class="unit__title"> <span class="cta"> Rainbow laces: The fans kicking out homophobia in football </span> </div> <div class="unit__meta"> <div class="date date--v1" 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