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Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!The leader of the centrist liberal party Democrats 66 Jetten is set to become the Netherlands’ youngest prime minister when his government is sworn in later this month.Keenan, a regular face on the international hockey pitches in India – he made his debut at the 2016 Junior World Cup and is currently playing in the ongoing FIH Pro League – opened up to TOI about what it means to be a professional player from the LGBTQ+ community, the lack of recognition from the FIH and how he sees himself as someone who can bring about change in society. Excerpts from the exclusive interview:How does it feel to be part of the LGBTQ+ community as a hockey player, especially when not many players open up?Before I said it out loud, it was a little lonely because like you said, there weren’t many players I could look up to. But when I started explaining my story, I started getting a lot of messages from people in similar situations in hockey, other sports, and different walks of life. So I felt that the community really supported me and that I was not alone in my journey.Several players, including Nike Lorenz, Mats Grambusch and Kaitlin Nobbs, wore rainbow armbands during games. How important are these symbols?I think symbols are important. I wish I had more of those around me when I was growing up as a young hockey player. But even now as an experienced player I feel that there is a lot of work ahead of us. It’s nice to see and visualize these symbols, but at the same time they can feel quite superficial in some ways.How can international sports federations, and FIH in particular, do more to support the community?If you are talking about the FIH (International Hockey Federation), I really don’t know who the FIH is. I wish I had heard them the moment my story came out, but I was never reached. But I’ve been approached by other federations, and I think it’s really important that federations in general try to create a safe environment where people feel safe enough to be their true selves.What response have you had from the Argentinian and Dutch federations where you play club hockey for HC Klein Zwitserland?The President of the Argentine Federation was the minister who approved the Equal Marriage Act in Argentina. So he was one of the first to text me. The Dutch federation has a special group that works on these types of problems. They always ask me how they could do it better. But I tell them, don’t put all the weight on your shoulders because it’s not just about the federation or the sport. There needs to be changes in society. It’s something deeper.How does it feel to be in a position to inspire others?I was shy at first. But after I started getting messages from people saying, ‘You made my day’ or ‘I can finally look up to someone,’ I talked to my partner. It was difficult at first because I felt sorry to see so many people going through difficult situations. But after that conversation, I realized that if I can change someone’s day, it will change mine. It’s not about becoming a character or trying to achieve a certain status. It’s about that young lad who might not even notice, but in 10 or 15 years he might be thinking, ‘Oh, Nico was there’.Could you tell us something about Rob Jetten, your partner who will be the youngest Prime Minister of the Netherlands?As a child, his passion was politics and helping people. So it’s inspiring to see how he worked his way through being himself to reach the top. Although we come from two completely separate worlds, sports and politics, we have certain similarities. Being with him inspired me to be myself and know that no matter who I am, who I love, I can still reach the top and be the best version of myself.And what was it like to be in Buenos Aires in your youth and what role did sports play in your growing up?In Argentina we have a big club culture. So I played for the club Ciudad de Buenos Aires, where my parents and grandparents played. It was a safe environment where my parents would just drop me off and I would be there all weekend playing different sports, mainly hockey. I made friends there. So I feel at home with sports. It feels like a safe space to be in.