Gay footballer talks tactics for coming out and thanks his teammates on FvH Podcast
He’s a goal machine for his local team, but that’s not the only reason why Callum Hodge stands out in the grassroots game; on Coming Out Day, he shares his story of being a footballer who’s out as gay in a county league and passes on advice in a new FvH Podcast episode…
The historic village of Chew Magna lies 10 miles south of Bristol, close to Somerset’s beautiful Mendip Hills.
The village football club was founded more than 75 years ago, and it was a natural fit for local lad Callum Hodge to take his place in the team.
“Both my granddad and my dad played for Chew Magna,” explains Callum on a new episode of the Football v Homophobia Podcast.
“I played for them too when I was younger, but left for a while because the manager was playing me at right-back and I wanted to play up front!”
At Imperial, another team in the Somerset County League, he proved his point by scoring a glut of goals. Callum then returned to Chew Magna and over the course of a decade, has become their record goalscorer. He’s now in his late 30s and still playing.
“I was captain in the 2019 season and we won the cup, which was the proudest moment of my grassroots football career,” he says. “Lifting the trophy and just looking around and being with my best friends, I’ll never forget that.”
Having the strong support of his teammates is particularly important to Callum. He’s in a rare situation, being a player who’s out as gay to everyone in his county league.
That has brought some difficulties, such as having to think about how to challenge homophobic language in matches.
In a game in late September, Chew Magna FC walked off the pitch in protest after an anti-gay slur was said by an opponent. The incident is currently under investigation.
On the FvH Podcast, Callum shares some of the background to what happened, and how social media reactions ended up bringing huge attention to the team’s decision to stage a walk-off.
While incidents such as that have made it tough at times to be a gay footballer, he says the benefits of getting to be himself in the game he loves makes it all worthwhile.
“I just love playing football – it takes your mind off any issues you’ve got and you can put your all into playing for your team, and having those friendships on and off the pitch. It’s just really good.”
‘Know who you can trust’ if contemplating coming out, says Callum
October 11 is National Coming Out Day, an annual awareness day on which people are asked to think about why and how LGBTQ people come out.
There’s always a first time to do it, but it’s never just a one-off event in your life.
In men’s football, whether at grassroots or higher up the leagues, there are still very few stories like Callum’s being shared, anywhere in the world.
Coming out in a rural community was far from easy for Callum. He was in his early 20s when he first felt able to talk about being gay with family and friends.
“The area I’m from, it was quite gossipy, and that put me back in the closet for a few years,” he says.
It was as if everyone else knew and had decided for him, before he was able to find comfort in himself.
“It was such a struggle, and it wasn’t until I was about 23 and I went to work in Bristol, in a completely different environment, that I came out properly,” he explains.
“In the office, there were open conversations about sexuality, and I could be myself more.
“I made three really good friends, so I told them and it went on from there.
“I went back to Chew Magna FC to play football. I was nervous but everyone just made me feel perfectly normal, which is how it should be.
“That’s why I’ve stayed at Chew for so long. It’s like a band of brothers and we are all just amazing friends. I never feel like I can’t have a joke with any of the players, like banter and stuff. It just feels normal.”
On the podcast, Callum gives some good advice for other grassroots players in men’s football who are gay or bi, and maybe struggling with coming out.
“Know who you can trust and find people that you can speak to. And playing football on a weekend, that will take your mind off everything, if you’re having struggles with your sexuality.
“Don’t come out too early if you’re not ready to come out. Wait until it’s the right time for you.”
You can hear much more from Callum on the latest episode of the Football v Homophobia Podcast.
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