Former soccer star Thomas Beattie
reflected on his coming out two years ago.
Beattie, who played for teams in North
America, Europe, and Asia, came out two years ago in an Instagram
post and an ESPN essay.
In an Instagram post, Beattie, 35, said
that he had joined Common Goal's Play Proud campaign, which aims to
create “safe sporting spaces for LGBTQ+ communities across the
world.”
“It's been exactly 2 years since I
made the decision to share my identity and talk openly about my
truth,” Beattie wrote. “It's such a liberating feeling being able
to live as my authentic self and so this Pride month, I'm excited to
announce I've joined @commongoalorg and am supporting Play Proud.”
“I’ve found a real sense of purpose
in being the person I wish I had around when I was playing. Football
gave me so much. I owe a lot of who I am to the game that shaped me
and being able to support athletes suffering in silence is my way of
trying to leave the game a little better than it was when I entered
it!”
"For anyone struggling in silence,
just know that one day you will be embraced by a whole community of
people who are waiting to welcome you with open arms,” he
added.
Beattie was forced to retired from
professional soccer at age 29 after a 10-year career when he suffered
a life-threatening head injury in 2015.