BBC Focus: Gay Twitter Discourse

LGBT correspondent

Established this month, the account had amassed a following of almost fifty thousand individuals.

The initial post from the account asserted its owner was a professional footballer, having already disclosed his sexual orientation to his family, with plans to "reveal his identity soon" publicly.

Nevertheless, merely a day preceding the intended announcement, the account posted: "I thought I was stronger. I was wrong", prior to its deactivation.

This individual, had he proceeded, would have established a significant historical precedent, being the pioneering active professional footballer since 1990 to openly declare his gay identity while still competing within the English game's premier four divisions.

Operating under anonymity and identified solely by the handle &x27;@FootballerGay&x27;, the Twitter user initiated the account's presence by following various leading LGBT organizations and relevant media outlets.

Following this, he released a tweet which stated: "I am indeed a professional footballer, presently affiliated with a club in the [English Football League Championship].

"My identity is soon to be unveiled; nevertheless, I stand as a proud gay man, aspiring to challenge existing paradigms. I am younger than 23 years old, and on this very day, I revealed my true self to my family. Before long, I plan to make a public declaration."

Although certain individuals expressed skepticism and overtly questioned the veracity of the account, numerous social media users—thousands, in fact—tweeted their solidarity, with former England striker Gary Lineker being a notable supporter.

Several days after its launch, the footballer confirmed his club's awareness of his sexuality, adding that they had shown unwavering support for his intention to publicly disclose it.

On Twitter, he expressed: "It proved reassuring for them to grasp entirely that both performance and consistency emanate from individuals at peace with their own being, and making the decision to be open is utterly vital for me to genuinely express myself."

It was confirmed by the user last week that they would disclose their identity on Wednesday, July 24th.

Nevertheless, after having given assurances of holding a press conference and conducting media interviews, the supposed footballer declared himself unable to disclose his true identity.

Subsequent to encountering multiple negative reactions, an additional message was shared, which read: "You may call me every name imaginable, diminish and deride me—and many will, a fact I cannot alter—but I simply do not possess the strength to carry this through.

"Do bear in mind that I possess emotions; without making a public disclosure, it's impossible for me to convince anyone otherwise, yet this is assuredly not a deception. Engaging in such a deceitful act would be entirely out of character for me."

Previously, the proprietor of the account had conveyed numerous direct messages to the BBC, in which their various fears were delineated.

A particular message conveyed: "Numerous individuals struggle to grasp why I'm adopting this unconventional strategy, but for me personally, this approach is entirely suitable.

"I have already, sadly, encountered death threats and received abhorrent abuse on this platform, which regrettably detracts—at least to some extent—from the otherwise positive messages."

Another communication detailed: "Although I am cognizant of several other individuals within the sport who are either gay or bisexual, they remain overly apprehensive about being open; indeed, some go to the lengths of engaging girlfriends merely to preserve their secret. I am unwilling to engage in such practices.

"My aspiration is to possess the liberty of going anywhere, accompanied by anyone, without the persistent dread of being exposed by the tabloids [newspapers] or someone equipped with a camera phone.

"It is my sincere conviction that this matter must be made public, a move that will, hopefully, simplify the process for others who wish to follow suit."

Justin Fashanu holds the distinction of being the sole male British player to have publicly declared his sexuality while actively engaged in professional play. He made his disclosure in 1990 and, regrettably, passed away by suicide eight years thereafter.