‘The happiest I’ve ever been’ - Footballer applauded by team-mates after coming out as bisexual

A semi-professional footballer has spoken of his happiness after coming out as bisexual and being supported by his team-mates.
Jahmal Howlett-Mundle opens up to his team-mates about his sexuality (Photo: Twitter / @SheppeyUFC)Jahmal Howlett-Mundle opens up to his team-mates about his sexuality (Photo: Twitter / @SheppeyUFC)
Jahmal Howlett-Mundle opens up to his team-mates about his sexuality (Photo: Twitter / @SheppeyUFC)

Jahmal Howlett-Mundle, who plays for Sheppey United in the ninth tier of English football, made the announcement to his team-mates earlier this week and received a round of applause for his bravery.

Around two per cent of the UK population identity as lesbian, gay or bisexual but there is evidence to suggest the true figure is three or four times as much.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

However, there are no openly gay or bisexual footballers in any of the major leagues in Scotland, England and the wider world.

Howlett-Mundle, 24, admitted the stigma attached within the sport made him hesitate to come out, but in the end he took inspiration from ex-professionals and leading men in other sports who had the confidence to be open about their sexuality.

He said in a statement: “I’m not the type of person to reveal large parts of my personal life and usually keep myself to myself.

“I certainly felt it was the right time to be honest with myself and my loved ones and by being open about my sexuality, maybe it will give others the confidence to follow suit.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Football still has room for improvement in terms of players coming out and being themselves, but with the likes of Thomas Hitzlsperger and Thomas Beattie having done so, it’s slowly starting to evolve.

“We have seen other sports people like Gareth Thomas and Tom Daley come out years ago and they are great role models for people like me.”

The 24-year-old, who said he was “overwhelmed” by the positive response he’s had from friends, family, team-mates and supporters, admits since making the decision he’s discovered a new lease of life.

He added: “I wanted to be myself and talk about my anxieties regarding the stigma of sexuality in football, but felt I always had to hold back in conversations.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I finally feel safe, secure and a lot more at peace with myself, and I am now… the happiest I’ve ever been.”

His assistant manager at Sheppey United, Marcel Nimani, said: “Jahmal is a great footballer and leader for us on the pitch and an inspirational influencer off the field.

“In the 21st century, sexual orientation of a person is a normal existence in our society, but unfortunately in football it’s not quite the case.

“Bravery acts like Jahmal’s play a massive part in normalising members of the LGBTQIA+ community within football. I believe these acts go a long way in supporting many struggling sports people.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I thank Jahmal for the trust that he has put into our club and we as a club are fully supportive of Jahmal in what is an emotional time for him.”

A version of this article was originally published on our sister title, the Edinburgh Evening News

A message from the editor:

Thank you for reading. NationalWorld is a new national news brand, produced by a team of journalists, editors, video producers and designers who live and work across the UK. Find out more about who’s who in the team, and our editorial values. We want to start a community among our readers, so please follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and keep the conversation going. You can also sign up to our newsletters and get a curated selection of our best reads to your inbox every day.

Related topics:

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.