Football star Thomas Beattie has come out as gay in a new interview just in time for pride.
The former pro player tells ESPN that he spent years of his career feeling empty and isolated, even when his team scored high-profile wins over the years.
“I’m usually super social, but I was becoming antisocial to avoid scenarios that might expose me,” he recalls. “This was a pattern that had also taken me all over the world. I lay in my bed and stared at the ceiling, feeling like the loneliest lad in the world. Tears welled; a paralyzing flood of emotions engulfed me. My whole body was burning; my arms tingled and my heart raced, like a thousand beats per minute. I prayed that I would wake up and this would all disappear, although deep down I knew I was praying for the wrong thing.”
“I needed to ask for the strength to accept myself,” he realized.
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Five years into his career, Beattie has finally done just that. “My name is Thomas Beattie,” he declares. “I’m a brother, son, friend, former professional footballer, entrepreneur and annoyingly competitive lad. I’m a lot of things, and one of them is gay.”
Related: Pro footballer Troy Deeney: “There is a gay or bisexual in every football team”
Beattie also goes on to explain why he felt it would never be possible to come out, even in an era of prominent queer celebrities. “Being gay and having a career in football never felt like an option,” he confesses. “Society told me my masculinity was linked to my sexuality — something we of course know is a false assumption — but I felt as if I couldn’t be a footballer and accept who I was. Everything around me suggested these two worlds were pure enemies, and I had to sacrifice one in order to survive. It doesn’t feel that way in other industries. In music, we love Freddie Mercury and Elton John. It’s accepted in film. Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, is gay, and these things are all OK.”
“But in football,” he adds, “there’s still fear a gay teammate might disrupt the team environment.” Beattie then goes on to describe the homophobic climate of locker rooms and how life as a single athletics star creates undue pressures to date in the public spotlight.
Ultimately, Beattie wants other closeted athletes to know they’re not alone, and urges compassion and acceptance on the part of the rest of the athletic world. “I hope in time these things no longer have to be spoken about,” Beattie says. “I realize to get to that point, there is a lot of work that still needs to be done. But I would love to be part of that conversation, and have a seat at the table.”
Welcome to the family, Thomas.
RFD
Congratulations to him for taking this important step!
MANSUMM
I am glad he came out. It is too bad football players cannot come out while they are still in the sport. And that body! Perfectly sculpted.
gran77
I admire Beattie for searching deep. No matter the age or circumstances, the process of self realization of one’s sexuality can be a process. We have seen shedding shame and isolation can be a painful metamorphosis; and, for some can result in ending their life. I admire this man for sharing his story publicly…… and, also for sharing his fabulous physique with us! (ok, I’m thirsty…)
My2CentsWorth
Or ending someone’s else life. I am thinking of the strange incident in which a young rookie New York City policeman killed his best friend in Farmingdale, NY. No evidence that there may have been anything going on between the two long time friends (maybe starting when they were 7 or 8 years old) but it is very possible that the real reason for the fatal shooting of his friend did not originate that fatal night. There have been many suicides by people who wrongly feel that the only way to deal with their sexual orientation is to kill themselves. Some by people who just could not live a lie and decided that living was not good.
ShiningSex
Congrats but I think it was obvious.
Jared MacBride
One look at his Instagram tells the whole story. Nice looking guy, hoping he has a good life.
TheAbsoluteTRUTH
What would really be honorable and helpful would be too do it while your an active athlete. Who cares post career your just affirming you cannot be yourself so this is in no way brave or courageous. These guys also always do this after they’ve retired and made there money. I wish there was a slow ? emoji. Your really brave
john.k
While it is still very rare some big name sportsmen have come out while still playing. In Britain rugby player Gareth Thomas did. In Ireland hurling (Google it!) star Dónal Og Cusack came out while still playing. We are still waiting for a major soccer star to come out. In rugby also international referee Nigel Owens came out and is still one of the most highly regarded referees in the game.
G R
He’s certainly good-looking and I’m happy for him but I have to question people with Instagram pages like his: He’s in EVERY picture, wearing something tight/plunging neckline/fashionably torn knees…I could’ve looked at 2-3 pictures on his page and figured out he was a lady. And pretty self-absorbed it appears. A dime a dozen in the gay world.
Joshooeerr
But at least he’s not someone who, in 2020 FFS, still feels the need to call a gay guy they decide is vain or self-absorbed or whatever, “a lady”, which manages to be both homophobic and misogynist. And at least he’s not someone who dismisses anyone as “a dime a dozen”, which reeks of supercilious narcism, shot through with bitterness and envy.
jonasalden
Joshooeerr is right on this one. You got caught being unnecessarily bitchy and someone called you out on it. Bad day?
assyrianhunk
you are being judgy and cynical, that is not lady-like
assyrianhunk
we are all a bit narcissistic, if I was him, I would be proud of that body that takes years of sacrifice and discipline to develop.
Goosecurls
The headline and article are misleading and misinformation. The guy is a former soccer player. I found that out by doing a simple web search, wondering what NFL team he played for. I learned it was none.
Gay Thomas
All over the world, soccer is referred as football. Google what FIFA means. Come on, man.
RyanMBecker
Google the word, “footballer.” Here’s what I got: “a person who plays soccer; a soccer player.”
How many NFL players do you see in the Google search? They are all “soccer” players, not NFL players. When was the last time you heard an American football player referred to as a “footballer”? Your ignorance of the English language doesn’t mean that Queerty was misleading.
winemaker
Well bully for him!
Kangol2
Congrats to him and wishing him the best. As Goosecurls says, though, in the US “football” usually means US football; to most Americans Beattie is a soccer player. But whatever sport he plays, more power to him, and here’s hoping more pro athletes feel comfortable coming out while they’re playing as well as after they retire!
assyrianhunk
He is bold and brave and beautiful. He has a great future ahead of him
dhmonarch89
When did Queerty become British? Thomas Beattie is a soccer player….the story seems like it’s trying to make him sound like an NFL Football player. It’s great he came out- but we need players to come out WHILE they are playing….1 out player is worth more than 1000 Pride Nights- it’s the only way to break the door down- show people in real time we belong and don’t cause locker room drama…there are 100 people in a NFL Football locker room at a time (players, coaches, press, managers, trainers)- just when & where are we suppose to assault these poor str8 boys?
@dusyk
Why is this big news??
batesmotel
He seems like a model not a football player. All of his posts are just his hot body.