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00:00Thank you so much for joining us all the way from the other side of the world. It's great to have you on
00:04So I came here on a three-day trial after the first day. I was I was successful and did end up
00:10Doing well and signing with the club that was in the middle of the season in january
00:15And then I played the rest as as a left back and that was the first time
00:19I played consistently as a left back in my career and I ended up doing really well and
00:23At the end of the season at the awards night. I got the best young player
00:26That was a turning point for me because as joe can speak for himself, but your teammates you're with them 24 7
00:33Yeah, they turn into your family. They turn into your brothers
00:36you know, they become the people that you rely on and you speak to and
00:40As I was saying previously living a double life and having to lie and have that all add up
00:45um was quite draining and exhausting so it came to
00:49The awards night when I received that award. It was like a moment for me that that switched, you know, it was such a
00:55prestigious award that i've
00:57Come from nothing and i've absolutely showed the world what I am and how who I am as a football player
01:03But they knew nothing about who I was actually as a person and I was actually really sad inside. This is not josh
01:10This is not happiness for me
01:12I was tired of of being hidden and tired of having to go around and hide from people and
01:19Not live my authentic self and then I would be like what why hasn't this happened in football?
01:24Why has no one ever came out to be themselves and be successful and play and I understand that now looking back
01:31all the negativity all the things that come your way, there's
01:34Multiple multiple multiple death threats that come your way in my way daily still
01:39And it's quite sad to see I I have a very strong support network. I have my good days
01:43I have my bad days, but i'm free. I go to bed. I put my head on the pillow and i'm happy
01:49I'm, josh carallo. I'm the footballer. I'm also the gay
01:52Footballer and i'm super proud to say that because I never knew what?
01:58The capability and the ability that and the reach that this had by posting a video like that
02:02In the world of football being a gay openly player is a very toxic place
02:08Um, it's something that not everyone would be able to handle and go through
02:13Um, I still think we're a very very long way
02:17Um of being acceptance in this space
02:20Unfortunately, I can only speak in my experience
02:23So these are factors that people will consider in they're coming out and you know
02:28They might not be out now, but coming out brings all this attention. It brings all this pressure brings all this negativity that will
02:36Affect their game in the long run. It's like when players have a bad game
02:39And then they see what the media is saying about them. It's a constant thing
02:43For me, unfortunately, you know, I step onto the field or I get injured or something happens in my football
02:49It's all got to do with my sexuality
02:52And that's unfortunately how it has turned out because being the first footballer that comes out as gay
02:59I wasn't to know what to experience. I wasn't know what to expect. I didn't know what was around the corner for me
03:04So unfortunately, I can only talk about my experiences and it's been quite toxic and negativity
03:10Has been quite high so
03:12It's difficult to say and to say to people absolutely come out be yourself, you know
03:17But it also comes with a mountain of downsides as well that I don't think people realize but for me
03:22Whenever I get down or whenever I get out and I see comments or I see something that I don't like, you know
03:27I've been dealing with that for four years now
03:29It did affect me at the start when everything boomed and I didn't know how to deal with it
03:33but having that support network around me now was it is absolutely like
03:38Put up a wall for me
03:40I've absolutely loved speaking to you and I can't thank you enough for your time
03:43Um continue to do what you're doing. You're doing a great job on and off the field
03:47And as I say really appreciate you and thank you for spending your time with us today