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LIFE: Gay footballer Anton Hysen: I get calls from footballers who want to come out
<P><BR>(Coming out can create roll models for others struggling with their own sexuality)<BR>Gay footballer Anton Hysen, who plays for Swedish third division team Utsiktens BK, says heâ??s had a number of phone calls from anonymous footballers who want to come out.</P>
<P>â??Iâ??ve had quite a few anonymous phone calls from players who want to come out but I donâ??t know who they are or where they play,â?? said Hysen.</P>
<P>â??I hope that someone else will come out just like Robbie Rogers did. That was great for US soccer. At last weâ??re having a discussion about it and thatâ??s huge.</P>
<P>â??It has been pretty quiet and I understand that. People might not want to come out publicly and I understand.</P>
<P>â??Thereâ??s so much ignorance,â?? he told <A href="http://edition.cnn.com/2013/09/27/sport/football/anton-hysen-gay-football-homophobia/?hpt=hp_c4" sl-processed="1">CNN</A> in an interview, on the wider issue of homosexuality and football.<BR><BR></P>
<P>â??A homophobe wonâ??t change his mind because players are wearing rainbow laces, but weâ??re putting it into their minds and weâ??re putting the issue into society so we can talk about it.</P>
<P>â??It might make people more aware and make them reconsider but itâ??s not going to make people come out instantly.</P>
<P>â??We can talk about it and discuss it. It needs to be discussed. There are not many players out there (wearing them) but itâ??s a nice gesture.</P>
<P>â??Iâ??ve heard some idiotic excuses. I respect anyone who doesnâ??t want to (wear them) and has strong opinions on the matter but donâ??t give lame excuses. Thatâ??s silly.</P>
<P>â??There are a lot of different things we can do â??
<P>â??Iâ??ve had quite a few anonymous phone calls from players who want to come out but I donâ??t know who they are or where they play,â?? said Hysen.</P>
<P>â??I hope that someone else will come out just like Robbie Rogers did. That was great for US soccer. At last weâ??re having a discussion about it and thatâ??s huge.</P>
<P>â??It has been pretty quiet and I understand that. People might not want to come out publicly and I understand.</P>
<P>â??Thereâ??s so much ignorance,â?? he told <A href="http://edition.cnn.com/2013/09/27/sport/football/anton-hysen-gay-football-homophobia/?hpt=hp_c4" sl-processed="1">CNN</A> in an interview, on the wider issue of homosexuality and football.<BR><BR></P>
<P>â??A homophobe wonâ??t change his mind because players are wearing rainbow laces, but weâ??re putting it into their minds and weâ??re putting the issue into society so we can talk about it.</P>
<P>â??It might make people more aware and make them reconsider but itâ??s not going to make people come out instantly.</P>
<P>â??We can talk about it and discuss it. It needs to be discussed. There are not many players out there (wearing them) but itâ??s a nice gesture.</P>
<P>â??Iâ??ve heard some idiotic excuses. I respect anyone who doesnâ??t want to (wear them) and has strong opinions on the matter but donâ??t give lame excuses. Thatâ??s silly.</P>
<P>â??There are a lot of different things we can do â??
This is a big issue and no one is commenting.
I remember in that old show my Dad used to watch called "All In The Family" when Archie found out the gay guy in town was actually the giant muscled up macho guy. It's gonna be like that.
But anyway,in my own favorite sport of Boxing,we very well could have the first openly gay world boxing champion in Orlando Cruz. This dude came out recently and he's gonna be going for that world title I think this month. I have to check.