• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Travel
  • Sports
  • Law/Justice
  • Celebrities
  • Film/TV/Stream
  • Republicans
  • Madonna
  • Books
  • Men
  • Trans Rights
  • Tech/Science
  • Royals
  • Monkeypox
  • Trump critic Liz Cheney falls in U.S. primary, Murkowski survives
  • 13 Reasons Why star Tommy Dorfman gets engaged to a woman.
  • Jonathan Van Ness blasts US government’s response to monkeypox outbreak

German Pro Footballer Thomas Hitzlsperger: I’m Gay

Andy Towle January 8, 2014

T_hitzlsperger

Retired 31-year-old German footballer Thomas Hitzlsperger has become the most high-profile European footballer to come out of the closet, telling German newspaper Die Zeit that he's gay and wants to talk publicly to raise awareness about homosexuality among professional athletes, the Guardian reports:

Said Hitzlesperger: "It's been a long and difficult process. Only in the last few years have I realised that I preferred living together with a man."

He added:

In England, Italy and Germany being a homosexual is no big thing, at least not in the dressing room…I was never ashamed of being who I am but it was not always easy to sit on a table with 20 young men and listen to jokes about gays. You let them get on with it as long as the jokes are somewhat funny and not too insulting…Being gay is topic that is 'ignored' in football and not 'a serious topic in the changing room'. Fighting spirit, passion and winning mentality are intrinsically linked, that doesn't fit the cliché: 'Gays are soft'."

The Guardian notes that Hitzlsperger played in the German national team 52 times including in a World Cup and European Championship, and retired just four months ago.

The BBC notes that Hitzlsperger is just the fourth footballer to come out:

In February 2013, former United States and Leeds United winger Robbie Rogers said he was gay.

Swedish lower league player Anton Hysen, son of former Liverpool player Glenn Hysen, publicly announced his homosexuality in an interview with a Swedish football magazine in 2011.

And in 1990, former England Under-21 international Justin Fashanu was the first professional footballer in Britain to reveal he was gay. He took his own life eight years later, aged 37.

Topics: Living, Sports, towleroad, World More Posts About: football, Football, I'm Gay, I'm Gay, News, Thomas Hitzlsperger, Thomas Hitzlsperger

Related Posts
  • Chase Chrisley Posts Cryptic Message About ‘Getting Through’ Tough Situations After Todd Allegedly Paid Blackmailer
  • Russia Blocks Facebook, Accusing it of Restricting Access to Russian Media;
  • Is Dennis Rodman Gay? Been With A Man? Just a Fantasy, He Says. A Fantasy He’s Had…But Hasn’t Acted On. Dennis Rodman Just Came Out ‘Gay Adjacent’ and Free
  • 13 Reasons Why star Tommy Dorfman gets engaged to a woman.

    13 Reasons Why star Tommy Dorfman gets engaged to a woman.

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Tommy Dorfman reveals she is engaged to a woman. The ’13 Reasons Why’ actress – who came out as transgender in July 2021 and divorced from ex-husband Peter Zurkuhlen earlier this …Read More »
  • Jonathan Van Ness blasts US government’s response to monkeypox outbreak

    Jonathan Van Ness blasts US government’s response to monkeypox outbreak

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Jonathan Van Ness thinks the US government’s response to the monkeypox outbreak has been “fuelled by homophobia”. The 35-year-old TV star has blasted the government’s “botched response” to the health crisis …Read More »
  • Melissa Etheridge announces solo off-Broadway show

    Melissa Etheridge announces solo off-Broadway show

    Published by New York Daily News NEW YORK — Melissa Etheridge plans to be “the only one” to rock off-Broadway this fall. The Grammy and Academy Award-winning singer-songwriter announced that she will take center stage for …Read More »
  • Fun With The Familia! Madonna Lets Loose In Italy To Celebrate Her & Son Rocco’s Birthdays

    Fun With The Familia! Madonna Lets Loose In Italy To Celebrate Her & Son Rocco’s Birthdays

    Published by OK Magazine mega Twice as nice: Madonna took a trip to Italy to not only celebrate her own birthday, but her son Rocco Ritchie‘s too! The superstar, who turned 64, posted photos and videos …Read More »
Previous Post: « ‘Gravity’ Leads BAFTA Nominations: FULL LIST
Next Post: Scruff Launches Gay Hook-Up Slang Dictionary With Foreign Language Translations »

Primary Sidebar

Adjacent News

  • Biden signs $430 billion climate, healthcare and tax bill

    Biden signs $430 billion climate, healthcare and tax bill

  • Judge schedules Thursday hearing on motion to unseal Trump search warrant materials

    Judge schedules Thursday hearing on motion to unseal Trump search warrant materials

  • Dr. Oz Loses $5 Million Of GOP Campaign Funding In Pennsylvania As His Poll Numbers Continue To Plummet

    Dr. Oz Loses $5 Million Of GOP Campaign Funding In Pennsylvania As His Poll Numbers Continue To Plummet

Good Trash: Going to Read It Somewhere, Y’know

  • Ellen Has Not Contacted Ex-Lover Anne Heche Following Fiery Crash Into LA Home

    Ellen Has Not Contacted Ex-Lover Anne Heche Following Fiery Crash Into LA Home

  • Pete Davidson Proposed to Kim Kardashian Before Their Breakup

    Pete Davidson Proposed to Kim Kardashian Before Their Breakup

  • New bombshell book on Trump reveals he wanted to be treated like Hitler: ‘Totally loyal’

    New bombshell book on Trump reveals he wanted to be treated like Hitler: ‘Totally loyal’

RSS Partner Links

  • Jonah Hill Reveals He Will Not Promote His Films Anymore - Here's Why
  • The Teaser Trailer For Netflix’s “Wednesday” Is Here
  • Open Post: Hosted By Madonna French Kissing Two Women On Her Italian Birthday Vacation
  • 14th Dorian TV Award Winners: YELLOWJACKETS, ABBOTT ELEMENTARY, HEARTSTOPPER & More!
  • People Are Roasting Brooklyn Beckham For Implying That His Career As A Chef Helped Him Buy His $1.2 Million Sports Car
  • Hot Slut Of The Day!
  • Rachel Bilson Admits She Misses Bill Hader’s Huge Package More Than Anything Else

Most Recent

  • Trump critic Liz Cheney falls in U.S. primary, Murkowski survives

    Trump critic Liz Cheney falls in U.S. primary, Murkowski survives

  • 13 Reasons Why star Tommy Dorfman gets engaged to a woman.

    13 Reasons Why star Tommy Dorfman gets engaged to a woman.

  • Jonathan Van Ness blasts US government’s response to monkeypox outbreak

    Jonathan Van Ness blasts US government’s response to monkeypox outbreak

  • Melissa Etheridge announces solo off-Broadway show

    Melissa Etheridge announces solo off-Broadway show

  • Fun With The Familia! Madonna Lets Loose In Italy To Celebrate Her & Son Rocco’s Birthdays

    Fun With The Familia! Madonna Lets Loose In Italy To Celebrate Her & Son Rocco’s Birthdays

  • Viola Davis joins ‘Hunger Games’ prequel in ‘cruel,’ ‘fearsome’ role

    Viola Davis joins ‘Hunger Games’ prequel in ‘cruel,’ ‘fearsome’ role

  • NFL World Reacts To The Carl Nassib Signing News

    NFL World Reacts To The Carl Nassib Signing News

  • Haunted, self-possessed or just spirited: 2022’s Emmy-nominated songs

    Haunted, self-possessed or just spirited: 2022’s Emmy-nominated songs

Most Commented

Social

Twitter @tlrd | Facebook | Instagram @tlrd

Footer

Copyright © 2022 · Log in

×