AnonyMouseAndJerry

What a strange comment.

Why does any of this matter?

And no, I really doubt Blackpool will get a bad reputation for releasing him if it came to that, what do you think of the LGBTQ community if that’s your anticipated reaction? Sure, maybe some people will be disappointed that he might not make it but they’re not going to label the football club homophobic, especially considering he’s one of the very few openly gay footballers!

If anything he’d praise Blackpool for making him comfortable enough to reveal it.

No need to look for something that isn’t there, or to make a point that’s wholly irrelevant to the wider conversation.

Thanks though

It will impact them 100%. Young gay players have no role models to look up to really, they need allies to communicate that hate is unacceptable. Henderson did that and undid it just as quickly. I don’t think people clock that a gay footballer will have the same role models as a straight one purely because there is nobody else so having that extra bit of support, to say “the England captain supports me and others like me”… is so important to younger kids.

Jake will hopefully have a decent little career and be a role model for others too, but that’s years down the line now. Hope he’s doing okay, lad is only 18. Second year of college age, lot to deal with and speaking to the BBC is very brave.

No matter what people on Reddit say, this guy’s views are important. He is a gay footballer, he isn’t just a gay fan who can justify it away because they support Liverpool or England. He has experiences on the pitch, he’s heard the vitriol that fans come out with and there stood Henderson. A man who decided to become a face of LGBTQ inclusion in football, who subsequently abandoned it all for a big ol’ bag of cash.

If he’s saying it was disappointing it must be disappointing for so many players who aren’t out yet. I’m a member of the community and it does really fucking suck to see good representation disappear like it never mattered.

Good on Jake for having the guts to talk about it, even when he’s going to get some horrible comments about his identity in return. Henderson has done damage to the progression of inclusion in football full stop, fuck, I’d argue EA managed to do more to raise awareness with including women’s players in FUT who are often queer too and they’re solely motivated by money.

Man could have had both, now nobody will touch him with a bargepole post retirement.