Pivotal moment in football – Anita Asante on Jake Daniels coming out as gay

Jake Daniels coming out as gay has been described as a “pivotal moment in football” by former England defender Anita Asante.

Blackpool forward Daniels made the announcement about his sexuality via a statement published on the club’s official website on Monday.

The 17-year-old is the first active male professional footballer in Britain to come out publicly as gay since Justin Fashanu in 1990.

The widespread praise for Daniels has included a message of support from England captain Harry Kane.

Recently-retired Asante, a prominent voice on LGBT+ inclusivity and other issues during her playing career, told the PA news agency: “I think this is a pivotal moment in football, because we have not seen an out male footballer in three decades.

“It is quite a monumental moment, and it’s testament to Jake and his courage and bravery. He’s a young man on his own football journey and I think he will inspire so many more people from all walks of life to hopefully feel empowered by this moment in their own stories.

“It’s great to see the kind of allyship across the game, from the England captain and lots of other professionals, lending their support and their voices.

I think he will inspire so many more people from all walks of life to hopefully feel empowered by this moment in their own stories- Anita Asante on Jake Daniels

“Hopefully it will keep this conversation going and open up the space for more athletes at the top level of the men’s game to feel they can come out as well.

“(It has) hopefully given everyone within the game the opportunity to look at their own personal environments within their clubs and how they utilise language, their own behaviours and body language, and how they might create this safer space for people to feel