Sending love to all sports friends and all gay men! The times are changing. For 123 years, Paragraph 175 of the Criminal Code criminalized gay and bisexual men, legitimizing legal persecution. It wasn’t until 1994 that §175 StGB was finally abolished. However, in men’s football, homosexuality remains a taboo. But by May 17, 2024, this is set to change.
Here was the “Act Out” initiative in the acting industry, “Out in Church” in the Catholic Church, and now May 17, 2024, is set to go down in history under the title “Sports Free.” May 17th is the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT). On this day, a group coming out of queer athletes in professional sports is planned. The initiative was launched by Marcus Urban.
Marcus Urban is a co-founder of DIVERSERO, a former professional football player, who is openly gay. He played in the youth national team of East Germany (GDR) and for the second-division club FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt. During puberty, Marcus fell in love with a man for the first time, but he didn’t allow himself to feel it: “I’m a footballer, I can’t be gay…” But he didn’t want to hide, so he later ended his football career. In 2008, his biography was published: “The Hidden Player: The Story of Gay Footballer Marcus Urban.”
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Still, no active professional football player in Germany has come out. Why is that?
M | This is partly due to difficult conversations happening behind the scenes, with the people surrounding the players. Agents, managers, not just men, also women agents who instil fear. Whether it's out of genuine concern, fear for the individuals, or personal interests like money and fame. In my view, it’s a misjudgment to think that players will be abandoned if they live openly as gay.
Between 2014 and 2020, I played for the Ü40 team of Hertha BSC. Even against FC Viktoria Berlin. My team celebrated me and was proud of me. We embraced our differences naturally and with a lot of fun. The players from FC Viktoria Berlin also knew I was gay, and it worked just fine. For sponsors, there can be no better testimonials for authenticity, integrity, and team spirit.
Why is it not an issue for women in football?
M | Women in football have always been stereotyped as needing to be lesbians to play football. Lesbian is often equated with being tough enough for confrontations on the pitch. Lesbian players are simply confirming a prejudice that already existed. This makes it somewhat easier. Also, the media presence is lower, and less money flows into women’s football. But I also know women who still hide their identities.
Maybe men suffer more under patriarchy than they realize…
M | Yes, I’m a white cis-man too. In a way, we suffer under ourselves. In our upbringing, we learn to be hard and tough. We have to be able to do everything, we have to be muscular, fight wars, all this toxic nonsense. It shows up in daily life. In masculine postures and status symbols. In football, it’s about reputation and money. You have to be straight, otherwise, you can’t belong.
After Hitzlsperger came out 10 years ago, people said that now active professionals need to "come out" too. Why is the responsibility placed on football players? Isn’t that unfair?
M | Many people don’t understand the issue and demand, ‘Just say it now!’ It’s like they want to finally get it over with. But it’s a personal decision.
What can you tell us about May 17th?
M | May 17th is both an end and a new beginning. It should mark the end of the burden and the need to hide. And at the same time, it’s a fresh start. We’ve gathered 121 queer sports stories from 32 sports across the globe, which will gradually be told. Whether it’s gay national players, Premier League players, athletes from the Austrian Bundesliga, coaches, referees, or club staff members, we’re providing a digital platform where all participants can share their stories, either with a photo or text. But not just on May 17th! Every 17th of each month will become Sports Free Day.
We all want to live freely 365 days a year…
M | Yes! That’s why we want to create something sustainable. It’s about health in general, about people finding their strength, being seen as individuals, and living a self-determined life.
How easy or difficult was it to get active football players involved?
M | The groundwork was tough. After football, I was mentally and physically poisoned. Doping, bullying, violence, abuse, having to hide myself. It was hard to work through all of that. Afterwards, I had to start over and couldn’t imagine how big this project would become. Since my coming out in 2007, I’ve gained recognition. But the question was, how do I find people who don’t want to be found? How should the project be structured so that it provides direction without being intrusive or overwhelming? I worked on that for 17 years. I held workshops for the police, fire department, and in schools, until I finally met the right people in 2021. I gathered a lot of experience to carry out this mission. That’s how the Diversero project was born, a global diversity NGO.
Looking back at your own football career – would you want to be a professional today?
M | I could imagine it with the self-confidence I have today. Now I know what I’m capable of. Back then, I was sad to have to give up my life’s dream. I fell into a dark place, had no direction, and was afraid for my future.
What do you wish for the next generations?
M | That they can live their love freely!
Several Bundesliga clubs are supporting "Sports Free," including Borussia Dortmund, VfB Stuttgart, SC Freiburg, and FC St. Pauli. You can donate here: www.diversero.org/de/sports-free/
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What would happen if just one active Bundesliga player publicly came out as gay? Wouldn't it create an impact that goes beyond sport? Could it eventually help overcome patriarchy and the associated gender and role stereotypes, from which both women and men suffer? It still sounds like a utopia, but let’s make it a reality and tackle it together!
> Our blog post "Homophobia Has No Place in Football," featuring insights from former national player Thomas Hitzlsperger, who came out after ending his active career in January 2014.
> The Amazon documentary "The Last Taboo" explores the topic of homosexuality in men’s football and highlights both progress and challenges.
> How can clubs and associations support players and staff who wish to be open and confident about their sexual orientation? The DFB (German Football Association) has an informational brochure on this.
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