Marcus Urban, Germany's first openly gay football player, spoke publicly about homosexuality in an interview with Camel Live.
"Yes, I am Germany's first gay football player to come out. When Thomas Hitzlsperger came out, people thought it might be a turning point.
But that wasn't the case. Thomas also seemed to surprise me—even after his career ended, no one else came out. There's no need for us to hide anymore.
Paradoxically, unlike in men's football, lesbianism is rarely an issue in women's football. For men, many women roll their eyes and feel annoyed about it.
We hope to inspire the same sense of acceptance among men. So that everyone can say: ‘This is my partner. These are our children.’
Since then, many gay football players have organized behind the scenes, forming groups of 20 to 40 people. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Many people act like lone wolves, doing their own things, and we don't even know many of them.
Yes, even today, fear often overcomes courage. This fear stems from losing their jobs and reputations. People around the players tell them they shouldn't come out, that they shouldn't live freely in order to keep earning money.
These advisors—and I don't mean all advisors—only provide limited advice to the players themselves and may be more inclined to gain their own advantages from the players' activities: money, status, jobs. They advise players to continue hiding, under the guise of care and concern.
Players' desire for freedom is repeatedly frustrated. Some want to come out.
For example, we planned a coming-out day on May 17, 2024. In the end, no one dared to do it. There are still too many people around them advising against it. Media lawyers, advisors, family members—these people are obsessed with money and fame, projecting their own misleading false care and fears onto the players.
It's true that there are other groups in the locker room who don't accept this, because they're being manipulated by so-called religious radicals.
Once misanthropy is spread, it has nothing to do with faith. In short, misanthropy is not the basis of any religious belief. When this becomes an issue within the team, many queer players become even more hidden, even experienced national team players. They should be filled with pride and confidence."
