Soccer player Jahmal Howlett-Mundle reflects on coming out in viral video three years ago

Footballer Jahmal Howlett-Mundle became a viral sensation when he posted a video of himself coming out as bisexual. Bravo!

There are ONLY SIX out gay footballers out of 130,000 professional players worldwide! SHAME!https://t.co/3Sgj3DRXwz— Peter Tatchell (@PeterTatchell) July 23, 2024

When soccer player Jahmal Howlett-Mundle came out as bisexual to his teammates in 2021, he was greeted with applause and support.

Three years later, the 27-year-old says the big moment was a turning point in his life. Howlett-Mundle recently reflected on the experience in an interview with Pink News.

“I don’t know if I had any expectations about how far the reach would potentially get. I’d be lying if I said that it didn’t change the trajectory of my life,” he said.

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“I didn’t necessarily know what the direction would look like, especially in the beginning. But now I’m like, ‘Look, I am who I am, and I’ve revealed a part of myself that I wasn’t comfortable being before.””

He continued, “I’m really, really glad that I did.”

Playing in the seventh-tier Isthmian League, a regional semi-pro league in the U.K., Howlett-Mundle is one of the few out male soccer pro players in the world. Justin Fashanu, who came out in 1990, remains the only out gay player in Premier League history.

Still, Howlett-Mundle decided he couldn’t stay closeted anymore. He wanted his teammates to know about all of him, not just a curated version.

At the time of his announcement, he predicted the revelation would only help his play.

“I believe I’ll be a better version of the Jahmal you already know,” he offered. “Whatever anyone’s sexuality, you should not be treated any differently – I’m just as hungry as any other player to step onto the football pitch and give my all to win for our team and our supporters”.

As it turns out, Howlett-Mundle was right. He won three cup competitions during the 2021 season.

It's so important to dismantle stigma around bisexuality, especially in sport. Much love to @SheppeyUFC player Jahmal Howlett-Mundle, who came out to his team as bisexual this week and was met with applause and support https://t.co/BZIMMkPlU4— Athlete Ally (@AthleteAlly) July 30, 2021

Earlier this year, Howlett-Mundle talked about his journey with Rylan, a British reality TV star who produced his own documentary about homophobia and soccer.

Related: Two new soccer documentaries show how out gay and bi players are changing the game

In their conversation, he further elaborated on his feelings of liberation. “When I first came out, that first season, I felt as though I didn’t have to have my guard up,” he said.

“I didn’t have to have a mask on. I didn’t feel like I had to hide who I was, and that was the first time in my life I’ve ever felt like that.”

That doesn’t mean the road has been seamless. Two years ago, an opponent directed homophobic abuse towards Howlett-Mundle, and was fined for his words.

In a subsequent interview, Howlett-Mundle’s coach said the team supports him. “It’s made us strong as a team and a squad and a unit. We see it as a positive,” he said.

Join experimental artist Lo Lo No tonight as they create a new image of Jahmal Howlett-Mundle, the semi-professional footballer who came to national attention last year after coming out as bisexual.

Watch on @BBCOne & @BBCiPlayer at 8:30pm: https://t.co/UiiAGc2oBU pic.twitter.com/KyxkimgbsR— BBC Arts (@bbcarts) June 27, 2022

Howlett-Mundle acknowledges there’s still ignorance out there, and the need for empathetic conversations. He says he’s discovered that people are more open-minded than he previously thought.

“There are gonna be people that are uneducated in terms of LGBT people. But at the same time, there are so many more good people out there,” he said.

Though Howlett-Mundle plays in a lower professional level, his visibility is still important. The more LGBTQ+ people who play sports, the more normalized it becomes.