Work Text:
It starts like this:
They've won, they've beaten West Ham, and Colin is so happy his heart feels like it could beat right out of his chest. Fans are streaming on to the field, an absolute tsunami of red and blue, all around him, and then he's there.
Michael.
Michael's right there, hair slightly mussed from jumping and eyes blown wide with delight. His eyes sparkle, and Collin is done keeping quiet.
He kisses his boyfriend in the middle of Nelson Field, and something in his chest clicks into place.
It ends like this:
Football gone Faggy?
AFC Richmond's Collin Hughes spotted kissing unknown man in celebration post historic win against favored West Ham.
[see page 19 for more]
And. Well.
It was always going to end like this, wasn't it.
You've reached Lawrence Hughes! If you're in need of plumbing assistance, please leave a short message with your name, location, and general problem, and we will do our best to get back to you as soon as we can. If you're not lookin' for plumbing, I assume you already know what to do.
[Beep]
“Hey, da, uh – I assume you saw the news. I just –
I wanted to –”
(Sigh)
“Yeah. Anyways. Call me back, yeah?”
[Keeley Jones, 09:35PM] Hi Colin!! Congrats on the big win!!
[Keeley Jones, 09:35PM] Just wanted you to know we've had interview requests for you from the Independent, the Sun, the Daily Mail, and Pink News!! Also an invite for a potential guest spot on Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness, which is SO cool?! You just let me know what you want to do and I'll set it up!! xx
[Keeley Jones, 09:36PM] I'm proud of you, Colin, no matter what you decide xx
The U.S. Sun
The US Sun: News, sport, celebrities and gossip
FOOTBALL FLAME: Colin Hughes' Mystery Man Revealed!
Welsh Premier League player Colin Hughes's secret lover has been identified at Michael Liu, 30, a flight attendant with US-based airline Delta Air. They were photographed kissing Hughes's post-historic West Ham victory. Both men and authorities at Richmond have declined to comment.
[Click to read more]
The thing is that Colin knows he is lucky.
He has a fantastic team who backs him, leadership who supports him, coaches who believe he is strong and capable and good enough to be a starter on a reasonably well-liked Premier League team. He knows there are other teams out there – West Ham, for instance – where even rumors of him being queer would have gotten him benched or worse. His spot on Richmond isn't going anywhere, Rebecca has assured him of that.
He still doesn't feel especially lucky.
Colin wakes up, two mornings after the West Ham win, and he should feel like a million bucks. He's slept in for once, sunshine peering through the large windows of his bedroom; Michael is right there, breathing deeply, smiling slightly in his sleep. Colin is a Premier League champion, and the most beautiful man he’s ever seen is tangled in his sheets.
It should be as perfect a morning as he's ever had.
Instead, Colin wakes up feeling like there are a thousand elephants trampling around his chest.
Just two days ago, he'd achieved all his dreams. He'd come out to his team; he'd scored a winning goal in a Premier League playoff game; he'd kissed his fella while the team celebrated in the background.
He'd forgotten, in the heat of the moment, that matches are televised. That paps are everywhere when it comes to the UK's favorite sport. He'd forgotten that just because his team knew didn't mean he could stop being careful.
He'd been careless, and now… well.
Hang on tight, boyo, he thinks to himself. Strong and capable. You can do this, Colin Hughes.
Next to him, Michael begins to stir, sleepily shuffling closer until he's managed to tuck himself into Colin's body. One lovely brown eye peers up at him, half-lidded.
“Th’nkin’ too loudly,” he slurs, burrowing deeper into Colin's chest and pressing a lazy, open-mouth kiss to his collarbone. “Sleep now.”
So Colin tries. Really, he does: wraps his arms around Michael and holds him close, breathes in his musky clean scent, tries to match his breathing to Michael's. He shuts his eyes and waits for sleep to come.
It doesn't come. Instead, scenes from the last twenty-four hours play out in his mind like a trailer for a movie.
Kissing Michael on the field without a care for who's watching. Celebrating with the team, being carried into the changing room on Isaac’s shoulders while Dani and Jaime sing and shout behind him. Racing home with Michael to change, meeting the team at a club, dancing close to Michael while the lights paint them pink and blue.
Going home and waking up the next morning to bruises on his neck and between his thighs, taking a lazy morning because he didn’t have practice and Michael wasn’t working a flight until the following week.
Finally, halfway through the morning, turning on his phone to multiple missed calls. Isaac. Coach Lasso. Ms. Welton.
Trent.
It’s too much.
He wiggles out from beneath Michael’s weight, taking a moment to watch as the smaller man immediately twines himself around Colin’s abandoned pillow. If he could freeze this moment and live in it forever – never have to face the world outside –Colin thinks he would do so in a heartbeat.
Downstairs, the kitchen is cold, but bright from the early morning sun pouring in from the glass walls. His phone lies in the middle of the countertop, surrounded by broken glass, and for a moment, Colin wishes he’d smashed the thing instead of the cup he’d dropped when he’d seen the article.
Instead, he’d just let it die.
PinkNews | LGBTQ+ news
PinkNews for all the latest lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans (and more) news stories from around the world.
AFC Richmond Left Winger Colin Hughes Comes Out?
The name Colin Hughes is one that is unknown to many outside the world of UK football fans, but the Greyhound's Left Wing star is making big waves post a historic win against West Ham United F.C. The Welsh athlete was photographed kissing a man, now identified as 30-year-old flight attendant Michael Liu, following the match. Hughes’ monumental reveal makes him the second currently active gay Football player in England, following Jake Daniels, who came out in 2022.
Hughes is the first ever openly gay player to play for a Premier League club.
[Click to read more]
Kobi Russel
@helpmekobiwan
ive only had #Colin Hughes for a day and a half but if anything happened to him i would kill everyone in this room and then myself
|
Kobi Russel
@helpmekobiwan
seriously am i going to have to start caring about football now because i think my dad would have a heart attack
|
Kobi Russel
@helpmekobiwan
i'm not ready to be an orphan
Jake Daniels
@Jake_Daniels11
@Colin_Hughes welcome to the club, bruv! 🏳️🌈⚽
Trending:
1 • Television • Trending
#Drag Race
500k Posts
Trending with RuPaul, AS8, Kandy Muse
2 • Taylor Swift • Trending
#Taylor Swift
367k Posts
Trending with Travis Kelce, Kylie Kelce, Eras Tour
3 • Sports • Trending
#Colin Hughes
175k Posts
Trending with AFC Richmond, LGBTQ+, Mystery Man
4 • Trending in United Kingdom
#Faggyfootball
100k Posts
Trending with Colin Hughes, AFC Richmond
Statement from Rebecca Welton - Owner, AFC Richmond Football Club
Released May 21st, 2022
On behalf of myself and the entire club at AFC Richmond, I would like to extend my full support and backing to Colin Hughes following the article published in The Sun yesterday. Colin is an essential part of our team, a leader on and off the field, and we expect to see many great things coming from him in our next season.
We at Nelson Road are all too aware of the prevalence of athletes self-editing or censoring their identities in order to remain a player in their sport. At Richmond FC, we reaffirm our commitment to ending discrimination, harassment, and bullying against all players who identify as part of a minority or marginalized identity.
We ask that members of the press respect Colin and his family's privacy at this time. Any requests for interviews should be made through Keeley Jones at [email protected].
Michael finds Colin on the phone in the kitchen.
He’s standing over the counter, phone plugged into the under-counter outlet, shoulders hunched inwards as he speaks quietly. Michael knocks on the doorframe quietly and Colin looks up immediately; the tension bleeds out of Colin’s shoulders at the sight of him.
“Gotta go, boyo, Michael's awake,” he says, shooting the other man a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes. “Thanks for checking in, yeah?”
There’s a faint murmur of assent from the other end of the line and Colin taps the screen to hang up, then pushes off the counter. He steps towards Michael, sliding an arm around his waist and kissing Colin’s temple.
“Mornin’, babe.”
Michael leans into the warmth surrounding him, savoring it.
“You abandoned me,” he says, teasing gently. He searches Colin’s face for a hint as to how the other man is feeling, pushes closer into his embrace when he can’t quite get a read for it. “I woke up lonely.”
“Mm, you did, did you?”
Colin’s voice isn’t quite as playful as he’s trying to make himself seem, but he’s clearly trying, and Michael loves him for it.
“How are you?” he asks quietly, dropping the teasing tone from his voice. Colin’s arms tighten around him.
“How am I?” he echoes. “You’re the one who’s being dragged into this because of a stupid choice I made.”
“Colin…”
Colin sighs, deflates, and Michael feels the way his shoulders slump just a little heavier into Michael’s body.
“I know,” he says. “I won’t apologize again, even if I feel like it would–”
“We talked about this, babe,” Michael says. “I’m not afraid, remember? I’ve been out this whole time, my friends and family all know. If anyone is allowed to freak out a little bit about suddenly being out to the world, it is you.”
He’d said this all yesterday when they’d first seen the article that released Michael’s name to the world, but that doesn't mean it didn’t bear repeating.
“I just…”
“I know, darling,” Michael says. He wants to tell Colin it'll be okay, wants to remind him that Michael is going to support him and that Colin isn't alone in this, but the words catch in his throat. He can't tell Colin for certain everything will be okay, as much as he wants to. He knows that his job is secure, at least, and his friends support him, but…
Michael likes to joke that he's been a professional gay since the day he was born. He'd grown up flamboyant and fabulous, his parents were quiet but accepting, and his friend group had been queer pretty much since they knew what that word meant. He's had his fair share of homophobic slurs and comments thrown at him, of course, but he'd learned early on to let them roll off his back so he wouldn't drown under their weight.
Colin is a different story.
Colin's spent his whole life hiding – not just from the world, but from himself. He'd fought so hard to suppress himself, until he just couldn't anymore. But Colin lives his life on the world stage, equally beloved and hated by sports fans around the country, and when you've spent so much of your life hiding…
Even when you say you're ready, no one is ever truly ready for the world's opinion on who you love.
So Michael holds on to Colin like he can keep the other man from coming apart at the seams and whispers quiet reassurances that they're going to be ok, even if he doesn't know it for sure. He reminds Colin that they’ve talked about this, even if they hadn't anticipated quite how public the shakedown would be.
He holds on tight and doesn’t let go.
Felix
@felix_lawrence5
They'll let anyone play football now, ey? #faggyfootball
Karen Donovan
@kgdono33
If #Colin Hughes was on my team i’d switch alliances immediately. No one asked to see that. #GoWestHam!
|
Kobi Russel
@helpmekobiwan
no one asked for your comment, Karen.
Kobi Russel
@helpmekobiwan
showed my bf the video of #colin hughes and his mystery man kissing post win and he cried #awinforthegays
Hi, you've reached Michael Liu! I can't get to my phone right now, but leave your name and number and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks!
“Hi Michael, this is Anika with Delta HR. Just wanted to call and let you know that we got a call from a Ms. Rebecca Welton with concerns about your potential safety on our flights. We assured her that we take full safety precautions on all flights, of course, but if this is something you would like to discuss further, you can reach me at extension 5-6-1. Again, this is Anika, and you can give me a call back at extension 5-6-1 anytime. Thanks!”
Isaac comes with him to the meeting at Nelson Road.
Colin doesn’t even ask him to; Isaac just showed up to his house, an hour before he was meant to leave for the appointment Keeley had pushed onto his calendar, and bullied Colin into one of the nice button downs Isaac had forced him to buy the last time the two of them went shopping and a pair of pants that isn’t covered in branding. Michael had perched on the loveseat in the corner of Colin’s bedroom, nursing a latte and whistling loudly while Colin tried to change.
They get along a little too well, Michael and Isaac; Colin would be a little afraid of it if it didn’t make something in his chest warm to see it.
He loves them both so much.
They’re ushered up to Ms. Welton’s office as soon as they set foot in the club and are immediately accosted by Hurricane Keeley, who is fretting over Colin, typing on her phone, and frantically taking notes in her bright purple planner at the same time. There’s an empty takeout up from a local coffee shop in front of her, and another in the trash can by Ms. Welton’s desk.
“--from The Independent, the Daily Mail, and The Sun, obviously, but also Out Magazine was asking if they could do a feature? And Bantr is thinking of doing a special spon month for June and we were wondering if –”
“Keeley, let the man breathe.”
If Keeley is a hurricane, Rebecca Welton is the eye of the storm – suddenly calm, but warning of danger to come. Colin has never seen her with even a hair out of place, but today she seems especially put together, a steely straightness to her spine that warns everyone around not to mess with her. Colin has never been so glad she’s on his side instead of against him.
“Colin,” she says, and though she doesn’t smile, her eyes are warm. “Thank you for coming in. Please, have a seat.”
Colin sits; the couch is as comfortable as it looks. Isaac perches next to him, body held carefully taut, as his eyes flit back and forth between Colin, Keeley, and Ms. Welton.
“Thank you for joining us, Colin, Isaac,” Ms. Welton says. “We’re just waiting on –
A rap at the door –
“Howdy-doo, buckaroos!”
“Ted,” Ms. Welton finishes, and though it sounds like a sigh, her smile is brighter than it had been only a moment before.
Coach Lasso breezes into the room like the south wind, warmth and spirit embodied, and though Colin spends most of his waking hours obeying this man’s every strangely wholesome American whim, the sight of Ted calms something in his chest. He believes in Coach Lasso’s ability to make this situation right, to say the right thing and somehow make Colin’s life feel like his to control once again.
Trent slips into the room in Coach Lasso’s wake, catching Colin’s eye with a small smile and a nod in greeting; Colin smiles back, and for the first time since he’d woken this morning, his smile feels almost entirely genuine.
“I feel like I should be sayin’ something like, Avengers Assemble!” Coach Lasso cracks. “But really, that movie did not have nearly enough women in it, and I’m pretty sure Black Widow could kick anyone’s butt, even through the fourth wall, but I would wager that Rebecca could make her look like a second rate supervillain, that’s for darn toot’n.”
“Yes, thank you, Ted,” Ms. Welton sighs, eyes crinkling at the corners. “Now, boys, we won’t keep you two in suspense – as you both know, we’re here to talk about your… situation, Colin.”
“Right,” Colin says. The lump in his throat is back. Isaac’s hand settles on Colin’s forearm, a steady weight against him.
“I assume you already saw the statement we put out this morning?”
Colin nods; Keeley had sent it to him before releasing it on all the Richmond socials. Ms. Welton smiles at him, then gestures to Keeley, who leans forward to take Colin’s hand in both of hers.
“This meeting is meant for you to tell us what you need from us, all right, Colin? The statement is out, but KJPR has been contacted for exclusives and articles if you’re interested, or we can tell them all that you’re not interested in giving a statement, though I do think it would be smart to at least post something – your follower count has gone up, like, astronomically, and you don’t get attention like this any day, but –” She takes a deep breath, as though to settle herself, then finishes, “Whatever you decide is what we’ll do, okay?”
Colin looks around the room – from Keeley, wide eyed and ready to trust whatever decision he makes, to Ms. Welton, pulled tight as a bowstring ready to fly, to Coach Lasso, eyes constantly darting around the room, a wide smile on his face, quieter than Colin’s ever seen him before. Isaac, a soothing presence next to Colin, has already proven he would fight anyone in Colin’s defense.
And Trent.
Trent is watching Colin right back. His arms are crossed over his chest, one hand absently tapping his pen against his bottom lip, and there’s pride on his face. Colin knows that look – it’s the one Trent wears every time he talks about his daughter – but this time, it’s directed at him. It settles over him like a warm blanket on a cold night.
He looks at Trent and thinks of that night in Amsterdam, thinks of how he’d told Trent about the ache in his chest and Trent had looked back at him, knowing exactly what he was talking about. He thinks about telling Trent that he hadn't wanted to be a spokesperson.
He isn’t cut out to be The Gay Footballer Spokesperson. He'd just wanted to celebrate his win with his fella.
“Maybe just… an Insta post? With a statement? I don't wanna do anything more than that right now.”
Trent nods, just the slightest tilt of his head, and Colin knows they're thinking of the same thing.
“Colin, we can do that, but I can't guarantee you aren't going to be written about further by the journalists,” Keeley says gently, drawing Colin's attention back to her. “Are you sure that's all you want to do?”
Colin nods, hoping he doesn't look as uncertain as he feels.
“I'm sure.”
[Image ID: a screenshot of Colin Hughes’ Instagram post, shared to his story. The background and the square are both black, and the words in white in the middle of the square read:
“Just wanted to come on here and thank everyone who's been supporting me these past couple of days! It means a lot to see the amazing response from the fans. Make sure to keep watching us at Nelson Road next season!”
Next to the square floats a rainbow flag emoji and a blue heart. /End ID]
|
Kobi Russel
@helpmekobiwan
i just hope that #Colin Hughes knows i would die for him
|
Moss || open for commissions
@herequeerfulloffear
lol its giving notes app apology yas queen give us nothing
|
Sam Obisanya
@TheSamObisanya
Proud to call @Colin_Hughes a friend and a teammate!
Repost @Colin_Hughes [img.21542]
|
Isaac McAdoo #5
@McAdoodledoo
THAT'S MY BEST MATE RIGHT THERE
Repost @Colin_Hughes [img.21542]
It's Colin! I s'pose you know what to do.
[Beep]
"Hey, son! Saw a clip of Richmond on the telly."
[A pause. A breath.]
"... Congratulations on the big win! Premier league runner-ups don't have the same ring to it as Premier League champions, I guess, but I s'pose you gotta have something to work towards next year, huh, boyo?
If you feel like giving your old man a holler, I'm sure your mum would be happy to see you sometime.
And, uh..."
[Another pause, a heartbeat longer.]
"Well, that's that. We'd love to see you, give us a ring if you want to come down while your training is on break.
Talk soon!”
Colin posts the statement, and that's the end of that. That's how it's supposed to be; that's how he'd wanted it to be, even. Now he can kiss Michael in public whenever he wants, no worries.
He did it. It should be enough.
(He doesn't call his dad back. He can't. He doesn't have the words yet.)
It doesn't feel like enough.
Colin stays up late that night, watches the responses to the statement pour in. Michael's sleeping next to him, deep breathing a soothing lullaby to Colin's ears, but he can't sleep.
Instead, he scrolls.
I'm a soccer player on my high school team and nobody knows I'm a lesbian, one American commenter writes. Thank you @Colin_Hughes for proving you can be gay and good at soccer!
I don't care who you want to kiss as long as you keep winning! reads another. #RichmondTillWeDie!
The comments are overwhelmingly positive; Colin pointedly ignores the ones that throw slurs around like confetti.
Okay but Colin Hughes' boyfriend is cute tho… like damn he's dating a professional athlete AND he's gorgeous?!? Some ppl have all the luck
Colin smiles at that one and screenshots it to show Michael later; it'll make him laugh, if nothing else. He keeps scrolling, liking the supportive ones from his teammates and other queer athletes across different sports. Tom Daley and Megan Rapinoe have both commented, which Colin can’t deny makes him feel way cooler than he has any right to feel.
I am a strong and capable man.
He’s looked up to these out-and-proud athletes for as long as they’ve been out, placing them on an unreachable pedestal of it’s amazing that they can do that even if I can’t, and now…
Is he one of them now? Can he be for others what they were once for him?
I am a strong and capable man.
But is he strong enough? Is he doing enough?
Colin only realizes his body is shaking when Michael shifts next to him, mumbling something indecipherable, and suddenly Colin needs to move. He needs to run. If he stays horizontal for another minute, he thinks he might explode.
Careful not to disturb Michael, Colin slithers out of bed and pulls on a shirt and a pair of trainers. The clock on his bedside table reads half past three, and he’s definitely going to regret this tomorrow, but any attempt at rational thought is gone. He needs to move. He needs to think.
He needs to go.
I am a strong and capable man.
Time to prove it then, boyo.
[Colin Hughes, 3:32AM] any chance ur awake
[Colin Hughes, 3:33AM] no of course ur not that was silly of me
[Colin Hughes, 3:33AM] u can ignore this sorry im being silly
“I changed my mind.”
Colin knows he probably looks like a mess. It’s seven-thirty in the morning, and he's been moving for almost four hours. The distance between his home and Trent's actually isn't that much – only about 15 kilometers – and Colin runs around a football pitch for a living. The run had really only lasted an hour, but the thought of turning around and going back home had been nauseating, so he'd made his way to a park near Trent's house after he realized that normal human beings aren’t awake before dawn and crashed on a bench until the sun fully rose.
He'd remembered to text Michael that he was all right and hadn't been kidnapped somewhere around 5am, then spent the following two hours staring at the sky as it slowly lightened around him. He'd waited until the light had reached “probably somewhere around normal human time” levels - phone battery long past dead - before picking his tired body off the bench and making his sorry way to Trent's.
The older man stares at him, seemingly speechless, before shaking his head and opening the door wider.
“Morning, Trent,” he mutters to himself sassily, loud enough for Colin to clearly hear. “How are you, Trent? Sorry for not ringing before showing up at your door far too early in the morning on a weekend, Trent, I've brought coffee in penance.”
Despite his dour tone, Trent beckons Colin through his house and into his kitchen. Colin sits on the barstool he likes and almost feels like maybe his life is normal again as he watches Trent scrounge up the box of decaf PG Tips he keeps specifically for Colin, but he can't quite muster a smile.
“I changed my mind,” he repeats into the mug Trent sets in front of him.
“So you've said. What, pray tell, have you changed your mind about?”
Colin looks up at Trent and takes a deep breath, arming himself for what he's about to say.
“I'll do an interview,” he says finally. “I just… I was looking through all the comments, the ones on my Instagram? And there are so many kids out there who feel less alone now, and… I felt so alone for so long, y’know, before you, and... I'll do an interview.”
Trent's eyes are warm. “If you're sure you want to, Colin, I'll happily call any of my contacts –”
“No!”
The shout surprises them both, and for a second silence falls between them like an anvil.
“No,” Colin repeats, quieter this time, swallowing hard. “I'll do an interview… but only if it's you.”
Trent's face breaks, just for a moment, and Colin can see the effort it takes for Trent to get his next words out.
“Colin… I'm not a reporter anymore, you know that.”
“I don' care,” Colin says. He'd made up his mind somewhere between kilometers nine and ten that if he was going to do this, he was going to do it with someone he could trust. “You can do that thing, whatsit, freelancing or whatever, can't you? I want you to write it.”
His words hang between them like glass, ready to shatter. Colin watches Trent's face and wishes, not for the first time, that the other man was easier to read.
“Are you sure about this, Colin?” Trent asks finally. His fingers have come up to pinch the bridge of his nose, like he's deeply regretting opening the door ten minutes earlier. “I can call in a few favors, sure, but it may look better coming from an actual reporter who hasn't spent the last nine months writing a book about your team. People will say I'm biased.”
“You are biased,” Colin points out, and a smile breaks out across his face for the first time since all this began. It's Trent's protests, strangely enough, that reassure him that he's making the right decision. Trent won't twist his words or write an article deliberately intended to hurt him; he's not that reporter anymore. Colin can trust him. “And yeah, I'm sure. You or no one, yeah?”
Trent looks at Colin, and the pride in his eyes makes Colin’s chest warm. It lets him know he's making the right decision.
“Very well,” Trent says. “Let's get started.”
You've reached Lawrence Hughes! If you're in need of plumbing assistance, please leave a short message with your name, location, and general problem, and we will do our best to get back to you as soon as we can. If you're not lookin' for plumbing, I assume you already know what to do.
[Beep]
“Hey da – it's me. I was just thinking… maybe, before practice picks up again, I could come out and visit? There's someone I'd like you to meet.”
FOR THE LOVE OF FOOTBALL: COLIN HUGHES SPEAKS OUT
By Trent Crimm
Published by The Guardian, June 2nd, 2022
When I asked Colin Hughes where he thought we should meet to talk about how his life has been since coming out to the world, I expected him to say one of the many pubs or coffee shops surrounding Nelson Road, or maybe a restaurant closer to where the player himself lives. I didn't quite expect to be invited into the AFC Richmond's players’ boot room, surrounded by designer cleats and the comforting sound of a running washing machine.
"It's where we have most private conversations, innit?" Hughes says to me, grinning as if he's letting me in on an inside joke. "All the best conversations happen in the boot room."
After a year following AFC Richmond's team from game to game in an attempt to understand what makes the team so remarkable, I am somewhat aware of the sanctity of the boot room. Nevertheless, it is an honor to be invited in – and I tell Hughes as much as he invites me to sit.
[...]
"I don't want to be a spokesperson," Hughes says, staring off over my left shoulder as he ponders his next words. "I'm nothing special, you know? Just lucky. And at some point... you get tired of the hiding and the secrets and the constant fear.
“I just want to play the game. I want to play for Richmond or Wales or wherever, and win or lose, I want to know there's the person who I love waiting for me on the sidelines, same as any other player."
We sit in silence for a second before I ask Hughes how he feels, knowing that he's become a media darling for the queer community.
"It's a little scary," he says finally. "But if there's someone out there who feels a little better knowing I'm here... that's what matters, isn't it? I think we're all tired of being afraid. If I have to be a spokesperson, I hope it means someone else doesn't feel the way I did."
With that, I thank Hughes for his time and send him on his way – back to his team, to his field, and with the full knowledge that he has a global community rooting for him. The queer community has Colin Hughes' back, and now, finally, he has theirs, too.