Professional rugby player Devin Ibañez has said that he’s received overwhelming support after coming out gay. Ibañez, who played with the New England Free Jacks in 2019, came out on Facebook and Instagram on Tuesday. “Everyone has been overwhelmingly supportive and amazing,” Ibañez told LGBT sports blog Outsports. “I’ve even gotten some messages from players who played on the same teams as me who told me a bit about their own stories. And that’s all I really want. Just to connect with those who had similar experiences and hopefully inspire those who are going through the same things.” In coming out, Ibañez posted photos of his boyfriend Fergus Wade, an English medical student he met in 2017. In one photo, Ibañez shares a kiss with Wade. Ibañez’s Instagram account appears to have been created to mark his coming out. His profile name is “thatgayrugger” and he describes himself as the “first openly gay @usmlr player.” Ibañez said that he wanted to make positive changes in his life that would impact his happiness. “It became clear to me that living my life with more transparency and openly celebrating who I love would have an immediate positive impact on me and those I care about,” he said.