At halftime, while his teammates on the Anahuac High School football team traipsed into the locker room, one student wound back to the other side of the field.
There, still dressed in his football uniform, he applied a touch of makeup and then prepped for the high kicks and splits he was about to perform with the drill team.
Austin Hodges is the only male member on the school’s drill team “which also made me the only gay guy on the team,” he writes.
Related: Three football players admit to hazing younger player in horrific “No Gay Thursday” attack
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In an article for Outsports, Hodges writes of his experiences as both a kick-ass football player and a highly dexterous drill team addition:
I could feel the crowed turn their heads as we marched to the sounds of our captain’s whistle. The fans seemed a bit in awe and had no idea what to think seeing a guy out there doing drills. As we got in our formation and waited for the music to start, I was very nervous, but once the music started we got to dancing and my nerves went away. It was an amazing moment.
I would have to say that the best faces to watch were those of the other teams and their parents because they all just realized “the gay kid who wears makeup and does the splits” was kicking their butts on the field — I played both offensive and defensive line — and was going to do it again when halftime was over.
Somewhat surprisingly considering the machismo inherently infused in football culture, his male teammates and teachers have never had a problem with the fact that he’s a member of the drill team.
“I was always welcomed back to the game with support and applause from my teammates and coaches when halftime was over,” he writes.
He hopes his double-duty opened some minds about gender roles and homosexuality:
I was able to show that not only can gay men play sports but that they can also have, for lack of a better word, a “flamboyant” side as well and that it was OK that straight men and gay men can have both sides, that it was OK to be different.
The excellent first-person piece, which really deserves to be viewed in its entirely, can be read here.
BriBri
Wouldn’t you rather be a butt hole surfer?
Captain proton
seeing your lost potential and broken dreams?
BriBri
You can be his piss top.
ErikO
Talk about a really bad walking stereotype/myth.
DCguy
SO in other words, he shouldn’t do what he wants because it somehow makes YOU feel like the stereotype makes you uncomfortable?
The guy plays football and wanted to be part of the drill team. Good for him.
trusgold
all his straight jock friends will be pounding that hole in a week
trusgold
well said you have a good soul
Captain proton
you somehow completely neglected the main story line of his parents abusing and shunning him when they found out he’s gay.
nowliveit
Do you know if his story is written or in a video somewhere? That was my school system. I’m curious.
Herman75
Not clear whether the messages on his arms are tattoos. Hope not.
Kangol
Is there any reason Queerty left out the part about his hateful, white parents kicking him and and his stupid, abusive mother trying to burn his hand to prove that being gay is a “choice” (it ISN’T)?
Kangol
Should read–>”his hateful, white parents shunning him, kicking him out and and his stupid, abusive mother trying to burn his hand to prove that being gay is a “choice”–>
nowliveit
Wow. I went to Anahuac school system. Population 1400. I couldn’t come out there. It was too redneck, too threatening. too ___________
I am so happy for him. Courage in action.
Now, I want to hear his coming out story. Someone in comments mentions his parents abusing and shunning him about being gay.
He is another shining Light come to the planet to change the consciousness, one rice farmer at a time.
Ajhodge2
Hey guys, my friends sent this to me, and I would like to thank all of you for your support, i say that because I wrote the story you were reading above and I have something to add.
For those who may think my mom and dad are horrible people due to my recent story:
Yes growing up my parents did make mistakes by how they reacted to some things. But through time my mom has come to fully accept me and my dad well I think he’s working at it but it’s hard for him so he’s moving very slow. I have forgave my parents from what they did long ago because I couldn’t hold it against them it’s not how they were raised. And I forgave them because no matter what they are still my parents they are still my family. Yes they made it hard at times, but they still tried to give me everything possible that they could give. So for people who may be thinking I have terrible parents, I don’t I have normal ones who make mistakes. No one trains you to be a parent or to expect the unexpected. I love my mom and dad more than anything in this world regardless of what they did and am proud to call them such.
So please don’t think badly or talk badly about my parents.
Also if you would like to find me on social or email me, all my contact info is at the bottom of the original story posted on outsports.com
Thanks
Austin Hodges