OUR FIRST OUT A-LEAGUER

It’s been a huge few months for Aussie soccer’s Andy Brennan, coming out publicly.

It’s been quite the year for Australian professional soccer player, 26-yearold Andy Brennan. He’s identified his sexuality, accepted it, shared it with his friends, family and teammates, and boldly broadcast it to the world. In doing so, he joins an elite group of out gay football players and hopes to make it easier for others in any sport to come out without fear.

DNA: It’s only been a few weeks since you decided to announce, via Instagram, that you’re gay. What has the reaction been like? Andy Brennan: I made the announcement on Instagram at 4:50pm on Tuesday, May 14th and that fed into my Facebook and Twitter accounts. Messages and Likes started pouring in immediately. The prevailing response was positive. In fact, there were next to no negative postings; certainly nothing negative from people I knew. Have you been surprised by it?

That first night was crazy, with all the Likes and comments coming through. It was kind of hard to keep track; overwhelming even. It was actually hard to sleep with the phone constantly going off. Ultimately, I was surprised. I had spoken to a few people who’d

When I told my teammates… it prompted others to share personal things and made us a tighter team.

said it would be big, but I think we were all surprised by the global reach. While I was sleeping my announcement went around the world and I woke up to messages and media interest from Europe and the US. The next thing I knew, I was giving an interview on Good Morning Britain!

Obviously, this was a considered decision, what did you think was going to happen?

I was nervous to push send on Instagram. It was nerve wracking but exciting. A bit scary because once it’s out there you can’t bring it back. Of course, I was thinking, “What if it all goes pear-shaped?” But I was pretty confident given the reaction of friends and family I had already told who had been incredibly supportive. With them behind me, I told myself that even if it wasn’t well-received, it didn’t matter.

How did it feel once you hit send?

The immediate feeling was relief. I felt free. I no longer had to worry about who may know and who didn’t know. I basically thought that if the story gets a lot of traction or if doesn’t get any traction, I would be equally as happy. It would go as far as it was meant to go.

What precipitated the decision?

It was on a flight home from the United States last September when I finally accepted that I am gay – even though growing up I suppose I always knew. Shortly after I started confiding in friends and, at Christmas, I told my family in Tasmania. I found talking about it was the best way to accept myself, otherwise I would just be in my head.

Why now?

I knew if I was not out and playing sport it had the potential to be something people would gossip about. That’s why I chose to control the narrative. I mean, if I wasn’t in the public eye, I wouldn’t need to broadcast my sexuality but, given I was, I knew I didn’t want to live looking over my shoulder.

After telling family and friends, you had the football code to consider as well, I suppose? Yes, so at the end of April I called the PFA [Professional Footballers Australia] to tell them what I planned to do and to ask for their help. They were very supportive and together we made a two-and-a-half minute video to release immediately after my Instagram post to >>

You have to assume Israel Folau read the contract and knew the consequences of breaking it.

>> more fully explain why I was coming out. Before going public, you told your Green Gully teammates. How did that go?

The night before I posted, I told my teammates what I intended to do. They were all incredibly supportive. It didn’t faze them and, in fact, if anything, it brought us closer together as a team. When people open up its only natural that it either separates them or brings them together. My revelation even prompted other teammates to share personal things and ultimately made us a tighter team.

Not long before you came out, professional cricket player James Faulkner referred to his mate of five years as his boyfriend on social media and then had to clarify that he had not just outted himself and is, in fact, straight. What were your thoughts on that?

You could look at James’ story and say that it was a disaster for him, but what I saw was all the positive support that he received when people thought he was announcing he was gay. Did James’ experience influence your decision at all?

To be honest, I didn’t focus too much on it because at that stage I was already committed to coming out. But it did give me an inkling of what I might expect.

Rugby player Israel Folau was sacked for his social media postings condemning homosexuality. What’s your opinion on his right to free speech versus the code of conduct required of him by the rugby governing body?

For me, I picture myself at 16 again and how his Facebook post would’ve made me feel. To be honest, I think that it would’ve been tough on me. Obviously, he can say what he wants but people in the public eye need to understand their impact on others. I don’t know what his intentions were but any contracts I’ve read are incredibly thorough. You have to assume that he read it before he agreed to it and therefore knew the consequences of breaking it.

Apart from the locker room issue, why do you think that sports and being gay are supposedly mutually exclusive?

I think that the locker room thing is a big part of it. As a team you share moments when you’re getting changed. But I’d also say people should get over themselves. Just because someone is gay doesn’t mean that they are interested in you.

Of course, now that you’re out, everyone wants to know if you have a boyfriend?

I don’t have a boyfriend.

What are you’re looking for in a potential partner?

I suppose I’m no different to anyone else in that I’m after a good person who I get along well with. Someone who is honest, caring and puts others first. I value selflessness. Career-wise what have been your highlights to date?

Sports-wise, my biggest highlight was getting to play for Newcastle. I have great memories from my time there.

What are your goals looking to the future? Looking forward, I have been studying Business Management at Deakin University but next semester I am going to shift to Psychology. I feel like I have finally found my passion. I want to help people; maybe even in Sports Psychology.

Finally, are you surprised by the exclusive club you’ve joined by coming out? Within Australia, you and Ian Roberts are the only professional players in major football codes to ever come out. Globally, you’re one of only a handful.

Yes, Ian Roberts came out in 1995 and it’s now 2019. I can only hope that others – whether in sport or not – will see that positive reaction I’ve received, and it might pave the way for them to do same with even greater ease in the future. To hear that my story has made a difference to others, that’s a pretty powerful thing and made it even more important for me to speak up at any opportunity. For me, it’s been the best thing I have ever done. I’m free and clear to be myself. I’m out, I’m supported and I’m playing the game I love. I’ve never been happier than I am right now.

To hear that my story has made a difference to others, that’s pretty powerful and made it even more important for me to speak up…