The world of sports isn’t usually welcoming to LGBTQ+ people.
Since coming out of the closet as a gay soccer player, Jake Williamson has faced a lot of scrutiny and homophobia on and off the field.
“I was completely shut out of the team,” he told PinkNews. “It’s bad enough that, in the society we live in, we get made to feel like we’re the worst thing on earth sometimes. So it’s not nice when your own football team just cuts you off.”
Despite still being “angry” at what happened following his coming out, Williamson has been trying to be the role model that he didn’t have. “I’m no one special, I just thought that I needed to have a voice and show that these are the difficulties that people face,” he explained. “I’ve seen the impact it’s had: the amount of messages I’ve had, the amount of people who’ve taken part in Q&As on Instagram… it’s making a difference.”
Williamson added, “I’ve played football for 20 years and I’m yet to meet an actively gay football player or manager. To me, that is absolutely astounding. It says a lot about role models and feeling accepted in a community when there isn’t really a community to be part of.”
Thankfully, Williamson is being an important voice in the world of sports and is thriving in both his personal and professional life. In fact, he’s in a loving relationship with his partner, Paul, who has played a significant part in being a support system for Williamson.
