Exciting news from the land of Oz: Andy Brennan, the star football player formerly of the Newcastle Jets has just come out as gay in an emotional Instagram post.
The 26-year-old, who now plays for the club Green Gully, became the first Australian football player to ever come out of the closet when he posted his statement yesterday.
“It’s taken me years to get comfortable saying this…” Brennan said in the post, “I’m gay.”
He continued: “I was scared it would affect my friendships, my teammates, and my family. But the support of the people around me has been so great and helped me get to the final step; being completely open. Being open is the best way for me to feel most comfortable and be myself. So… carry on!”
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Related: Soccer star Shiho Shimoyamada comes out
In a longer interview with the Hearald-Sun, Brennan elaborated on his journey to coming out.
“Six months ago I thought about it a lot, tried to hide it and push it aside because of the way I thought it would be perceived by many,” he recalled.
“It got to the point where I couldn’t waste any more time being in relationships that I wasn’t comfortable in and wouldn’t come to anything. You’ve got to realize that’s who you are and you’ve just got to be who you are, whether you’re gay or whatever, whoever you are.”
Brennan joins the American player Colin Martin as the only out, male, active, top-division football/soccer player in the world, though a number of former players have come out since retiring.
Scroll down for more pics from Brennan’s Instagram page…
Billysees
” It got to the point where I couldn’t waste any more time being in relationships that I wasn’t comfortable in and wouldn’t come to anything. ”
His comment says so much, especially — … I couldn’t waste any more time … wouldn’t come to anything.
lemon-lime
Australia has its own version of Football that is more like a Rugby variant, so I think you mean Aussie Soccer Player. Aussies say soccer like Americans do.
nitejonboy
He’s adorable..gorgeous!!! Good luck to him in his future being out and proud. Hope Australia stands behind him.
one more thing
Bravo!
Virpilosus
Aside from, but added to, Andy’s basic gorgeousness is the fact that his ADORABLE puppy (see pix) is a BOXER…my canine kryptonite!!! WOOOOOF!