Courage is Contagious

Courage is a strange concept. To be courageous you must put yourself in danger with no guarantee of success.

Coming out as gay requires courage. A successful coming out gives the individual reassurance that they are loved for who they are, not as a condition of who they love. It requires vulnerability in the knowledge it may not be successful. If the listener cannot accept what they are being told a relationship that was previously cherished can be irreparably damaged.

My coming out to my family and friends was, gratefully, painless. However, that’s not to say that every time I’ve told someone I am gay it has been so well received. I have experienced raised eyebrows, slurs, and more than one threat that someone ‘could change my mind’. Every time someone comes out and this is the response, the entire gay community is attacked. There is still plenty of work to be done when it comes to acceptance.

I see Jake Daniels and I am staggered by his courage, and I am filled with hope. He did what only one man before him, Justin Fashanu, has done in English football; he came out as gay. Each message of support sent to Jake is a message for everyone in the gay community. We are all lifted by support for Jake and our vulnerability lessens. At a time when intolerances and prejudices are on the rise, it was a beautiful thing to see this young man be hugged by his peers, football club, community, and our wider society. Perhaps the impact of this can be seen in the actions of two topflight Scottish referees, Craig Napier, and Lloyd Wilson, who this month came out too.

As a young adult I always thought that society improved and became more tolerant. As I grow older and experience more of humanity and the world, I see that is not always the case. However, thankfully, Jake, Craig, and Lloyd are examples of my childish understanding that society can and will be more tolerant.

Hopefully, one day coming out won’t require courage and the uncertainty of acceptance will be replaced by confidence.

Freya Anglin-Liiv, Head of Purpose