family first

Soccer star Aaron Ramsdale pens a loving & powerful letter in support of his gay brother

By
Aaron Ramsdale

There is an unsettling trend in men’s pro soccer of superstar players taking Saudi money and checking their morals at their bank accounts.

Premier League star Aaron Ramsdale loving open letter to his gay brother offers a nice antidote to that.

On Thursday, Ramsdale, who plays goalie for Arsenal and the England national team, penned an essay about his wife’s miscarriage, and starts talking about his family as a whole. In it, he publicly acknowledges his gay brother for the first time, offering him support.

From the Players Tribune:

My brother is gay, and he’s lived his life in an open and authentic way since he went off to school. I’m so proud to say he’s my brother. I haven’t talked about it before, but with everything going on in football right now, I thought it was important to mention. Oliver is a lot like me, in many ways. He’s a regular bloke. Loves football. Loves knocking about with his mates. Loves the Gunners. He’s proud of me, and I’m really proud of him.

Over the years, I’ve probably bit my tongue a few too many times — both in dressing rooms and on social media — whenever I hear homophobic comments or stupid things being said. And I think maybe my brother has done the same, thinking it would make my life easier.

Well, all that ends today.

Ramsdale statement would be powerful regardless of his status; but as a prominent player in the world’s top men’s pro soccer league, it carries extra weight. There’s only been one out gay active player in Premier League history: Justin Fashanu, who came out in the early 1990s.

While there some out pro players today–Josh Cavallo, Zander Murray, 22-year-old Jake Daniels and Collin Martin–there remains a dearth of LGBTQ+ representation at the highest level of men’s soccer. The vacuum is especially apparent this summer, with a record number of out LGBTQ+ players participating in the Women’s World Cup.

That’s quite a contrast to last year’s Men’s World Cup, which was held in anti-gay Qatar, and players were discouraged from wearing LGBTQ+ imagery.

Ramsdale says he’s sharing his brother’s story to provide comfort to LGBTQ+ people across the game.

“I want this game I love to be a safe and welcoming place for everyone. I want my brother, Ollie — or anyone of any sexuality, race or religion — to come to games without having to fear abuse,” he writes. “When we lift a trophy at the Emirates Stadium, I want my brother there with me.”

It’s been a rough stretch for LGBTQ+ soccer fans, especially given the defection of prominent ally Jordan Henderson to the Saudi pro league. The Liverpool captain verbally committed to the Saudi state, which offered to quadruple his salary.

While everybody has a right to get paid, it’s disheartening to see Henderson prioritize the riyal over his conscience. He’s been an outspoken supporter of the Premier League’s rainbow laces campaign, which promotes LGBTQ+ inclusivity in the sport.

“This campaign is important if there are still supporters out there who don’t feel they can be themselves or, even worse, have to hide who they are for fear of getting abused or being discriminated against,” Henderson said in an interview. “I’m a parent, a husband, a son and a brother and the idea that anyone I love and care about wouldn’t feel safe or comfortable coming to watch me play if they were part of the LGBT community makes me wonder what world we live in.”

But now, those words ring hollow. There’s no way LGBTQ+ fans could feel comfortable watching Henderson play in Saudi Arabia, one of the most repressive countries in the world.

Liverpool’s well-known LGBTQ+ supporters group, Kop Outs, said in a statement its members were “appalled” by Henderson’s decision.

“We are appalled and concerned that anyone might consider working for a sportswashing operation for a regime where women and LGBT+ people are oppressed and that regularly tops the world death sentence table,” it read.

Ramsdale’s support of his brother is the opposite of selling out. It’s nice to see a major male sports figure prioritize gay rights and visibility.

LGBTQ+ soccer fans are grateful.

Related:

Olympic gymnast Tomás González comes out as gay in new autobiography

Another Olympian just joined Team LGBTQ+.

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