New episode of the podcast drops in Football v Homophobia’s annual Month of Action; listen to Thetford Town player-manager Matt Morton and Sevenoaks Town defender Jahmal Howlett-Mundle talk about their experiences of being out as gay and bi respectively, and how they have embraced their visibility through media appearances…
Matt Morton and Jahmal Howlett-Mundle, photographed at the launch of the LGBTQ+ Professionals in Football Collective in June 2022
‘Rylan: Football, Homophobia and Me’ is the latest TV documentary to explore the experience of being LGBTQ+ in the game.
Produced by Buzz 16 for TNT Sports, it has a different feel to similar films, given a very personal touch by its hugely likeable presenter – a big West Ham supporter and football fan in general – while focusing on people within the game who are out as gay and bi and who have shared their stories.
On a new episode of the FvH Podcast, FvH’s Jon Holmes is joined by two of those people – Thetford Town player-manager Matt Morton, and Sevenoaks Town centre-back Jahmal Howlett-Mundle.
Matt is no stranger to appearing on screen since first publicly sharing his story back in the summer of 2020.
As a self-described ‘alpha male’ who bucks all the stereotypes, he’s also given great thought to the many factors that make visibility like his so rare in men’s football.
Jahmal shared the news that he is bisexual a year after Matt, in July 2021, and he has also been in demand from all parts of the media.
He’s thought to be the only player to have progressed through a Premier League club’s Academy system to then later come out publicly.
In a chat held in the annual Football v Homophobia Month of Action and what is also LGBT+ History Month, Matt and Jahmal (aka Jam) talk about what it was like to be part of the Rylan documentary, and give their reviews of the finished film.
They discuss connected issues such as LGBTQ+ men’s mental health, education, and experiences of both discrimination and inclusion at grassroots level.
Matt also talks about another doc that’s just been released in Germany called ‘The Last Taboo’ which will hopefully hit UK streaming platforms later in the year.
Both Matt and Jahmal are members of the LGBTQ+ Professionals in Football Collective, an industry network for people who work in the game in pro and semi-pro roles that is supported by FvH. Find out more here.
The Football v Homophobia Podcast is produced by Sports Media LGBT+ and can be found on Apple and Spotify.
Listen to more episodes in the back catalogue with guests including referees Dan McFarlane and Mikey Connor; actor and TRUK United FC player Ash Palmisciano; FvH Hero award winner Hayley Wood-Thompson; and pop star Shura.
“Rylan: Football, Homophobia and Me” is available to watch on Discovery+ in the U.K., while “The Last Taboo” is streaming on Prime Video in Germany.
Further reading…
‘I spent so long not allowing myself to know I was gay’: Matt Morton on the Football v Homophobia Podcast (Sports Media LGBT+)
Two new soccer documentaries show how out gay and bi players are changing the game (Outsports)
Rylan’s new documentary will fire you up for Football v Homophobia’s Month of Action (Out and Out Football)