Josh Cavallo, born on November 13, 1999 in Melbourne, played soccer for Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City FC before moving to Western United and later Adelaide United. An active advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, Cavallo has established himself as one of the few public voices in professional soccer for gay players.
Josh came out publicly as gay in October 2021, becoming one of the few active professional footballers to do so. His openness brought challenges, including homophobic abuse after a game, which prompted him to speak out publicly against hate speech and discrimination. He has called on the soccer world and platforms like Instagram to do more to tackle abuse and create a safe environment for LGBTQ+ athletes.
Josh is part of a larger movement that aims to raise awareness and acceptance for LGBTQ+ people in sport. He is amazed that there are hardly any gay professional footballers who come out openly and wants to help change this situation, not just in Australia but worldwide.
He hopes that his visibility will help others to feel safe and emphasizes that there is no place for discrimination in soccer, a game that embraces all people regardless of their identity, skin color or background.
Josh has publicly shown himself to be a big fan of drag culture, expressing his enthusiasm for ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under’, suggesting that cultural and supportive environments where you can freely express your identity are particularly close to his heart.
A striking moment in Josh’s life was the realization and acceptance of his sexual orientation in his youth, which had a profound impact on him. His coming out was a liberation for him that enabled him to live openly and authentically.
He found happiness in his private life with his partner Leighton Morrell, whom he proposed to on the pitch, underlining his commitment to an authentic life.
