In October 2021, the sporting world united in support for Josh Cavallo, the A-League midfielder and Adelaide United star who came out as gay and in doing so opened the door to other athletes to have such conversations. knowing the broad support they have if they want it. As the world’s only known top male professional footballer who is gay, Cavallo said in a statement that he was finally ready to “talk about something personal that I am finally comfortable talking about in my life. “. and recognized how the culture surrounding professional sports has led many male stars to live in silence, living in constant tension between their professional dreams and the desire to live authentically.

The impact of Cavallo’s actions cannot be underestimated, with ripple effects seen both in sport and in society at large. Now Leinster scrum-half Nick McCarthy has come out as gay and is sharing his story in hopes of inspiring others. Having already told his teammates earlier this year, McCarthy said his experience had been “entirely positive” and went on to thank the incredible support he had received from coaches Leo Cullen and Stuart Lancaster. Before coming out, McCarthy had struggled to reconcile his identity with his sporting pursuits, leaving him to consider leaving professional rugby due to his sexuality.

The 27-year-old has expressed how much of an influence Josh Cavallo has had on his ability to come out, alongside American footballer Carl Nassib and bisexual teammate Jack Dunne. “I had a hard time coming out for a while and it was starting to have an impact on me and my happiness, so it was the right decision,” McCarthy told the Leinster website. “It affected me so much that I became anxious about my future and considered stepping away from rugby altogether, because I just didn’t think I could go out playing rugby.”