Earlier this week Villads Raahauge Jensen, a professional handballer and host of the Hndbold - mere end bare en sport (Handball - more than just a sport) podcast from Denmark took the brave step of coming out in a post on Instagram.I am gay. Three words that should, in reality, be easy to say, but for many years, Ive been afraid to be open about it, he began in the emotional posts, he began in the caption. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Villads Raahauge Jensen (@villads_raahauge)His decision was a long one in coming, and one that Jensen, who plays for Lugi HF in the second-tier Swedish Allsvenskan league, once feared was at odds with his role as an athlete. Those who know me also know that handball has always been my first priority in all aspects of my life. But the thought that the entire narrative about who I am as a person would change solely because of my sexuality has been something I didnt dare take a chance on, he continued. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Villads Raahauge Jensen (@villads_raahauge)n part, his struggle to come out was against the culture of professional sports itself. Being gay in sports is, in many ways, still a taboo, without me really knowing why. I just know that, for me, it has been very difficult to be open about who I am, he wrote. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Villads Raahauge Jensen (@villads_raahauge)Thankfully when he did decide to share his truth with his teammates he was met with positivity and acceptance. When I told the club and my teammates last week, it was, of course, received entirely positively, he recounted. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Villads Raahauge Jensen (@villads_raahauge)While this is news to the world and his team, there have been some in his life who have previously known his truth. And even though my closest friends have known for some time and my family has always known, it is still scary to share something youve kept secret for so long, he wrote. Hiding a big part of who you are from almost everyone makes it so that you can never truly be 100% yourself. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Villads Raahauge Jensen (@villads_raahauge)Hiding a big part of who you are from almost everyone makes it so that you can never truly be 100% yourself. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Villads Raahauge Jensen (@villads_raahauge)ltimately, Jensen writes that he hopes by being open and and honest with who he is, he can make space for others who are struggling to following his footsteps. I hope that with this post, I can help others, and perhaps be a role model that shows that it is okay to be gay in the world of sports, he wrote. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Villads Raahauge Jensen (@villads_raahauge)He adds, At the same time, I sincerely hope that you will all still see me exactly as the person I have always been. Because yes I am gay, but also so much more than that. I'm still just Villads, he concludes. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Villads Raahauge Jensen (@villads_raahauge)Welcome to the family Villads, were glad youre here. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Villads Raahauge Jensen (@villads_raahauge) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Villads Raahauge Jensen (@villads_raahauge) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Villads Raahauge Jensen (@villads_raahauge)You can read the full post here (if you speak Danish).