Film Screening and Talkback: The Last Taboo

"The Last Taboo" explores homophobia in professional sports and the experiences of LGBTQ+ athletes in a competitive sporting environment.

Hard to imagine, but true: According to current estimates, out of 500,000 active male football professionals worldwide, under ten are openly homosexual.

While homosexuality hardly plays a role in other areas of life today, the topic seems to be completely taboo in professional football. The feature-length documentary THE LAST TABOO lets those who broke exactly this taboo tell their very personal stories alongside Thomas Hitzlsperger, whom Goethe-Institut Washington audience will remember from his series of programs for DC's 2025 World Pride Festival. Like the British professional footballer Justin Fashanu (*1961 in London; † 1998 in London), who broke this taboo for the first time in 1990 and paid for it with his life. His niece Amal tells his story. Marcus Urban, on the other hand, was about to make the jump to the Bundesliga as a teenager and, by deciding to come out, he also went against his big dream. The stories of the US professional Collin Martin and the British player-coach Matt Morton, on the other hand, suggest that normality is not far away.

Join us for an exclusive screening of this documentary, followed by a discussion with invited experts to explore where inclusivity lies in professional soccer in 2026 and beyond.

Presented with support from TEAM DC a 501(c)(3) nonprofit uniting LGBTQ+ teams and leagues across the DC region to increase visibility, expand opportunity, and make sports a safe, welcoming place for everyone.