Gay Teen Asks Straight Captain of the Football Team to Homecoming

[left-of-center2012]

October 11th was National Coming Out Day, but for Alexander Duarte, 17, a high school senior at Valley High School in Santa Ana, CA this day had a whole different meaning. For Duarte, October 11th meant the day he had long awaited—to ask high friend Erick Pineda, 17, to their school’s homecoming dance (video in the link below)

Pineda, who is straight and the captain of the football team, was pleasantly surprised when he walked out to lunch on Thursday to see crowds of students lined up waiting for him to make his way down a long corridor that lead to a huge closet that read “Out of the Closet”. Next to it, his friend Alexander who appeared from behind a colorful and vibrant sign that read “I know I’m GAY, but can I take you STRAIGHT 2 HOMECOMING?”

The crowds cheered for Pineda as he approached Duarte with Christina Perri’s “A Thousand Years” playing in the air. In the video, students are heard saying “You go, Erick! You’re my hero!” When Pineda reached Duarte the two friends embraced in a hug and Pineda asks him if he will accompany him to the school function—to which you see Pineda accept.

Pineda has been a tremendous support system for Duarte. “He’s been there for me through some really hard times,” Duarte says. To attend a dance together represents an acceptance of everyone on their campus and in a community that is predominantly immigrant, Latinx, and Spanish-speaking. Duarte and Pineda have been friends for over three years and have a history of not being the best of friends. In fact, it is their differences that have helped them grow and become closer.

http://instinctmagazine.com/post/watch-these-two-high-school-students-shatter-barriers-adorable-proposal-video
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Pineda shares more about this experience with Instinct Magazine:

It’s very important for me to be going to Homecoming with Alexander because I’m setting an example for not only my school, but also my community. I was definitely excited to be asked to homecoming because I knew how important this was for my friend and seeing the support from the staff and students was amazing. I’m very grateful to be the captain of the football team. The team is very supportive and multiple teammates have approached me to congratulate me and have given me “RESPECT” for my actions.

[Susan Calvin]

2. This makes me smile. nt

[SWBTATTReg]

3. Most kids are this way about their gay friends. It's that lunatic fringe that seems to have ...

problems w/ it. The lunatics must have problems in their own interpersonal relationships w/ just about anyone for them to even care about other relationships (none of their damn business anyway).

This is good to read/see.

[dhill926]

4. You are exactly right....

the kids don't give a shit. What a great story.

[sdfernando]

6. I applaud this kid

It wasn’t always this way. I wish it was but it wasn’t. I so wish I could have asked a certain trumpet player to my senior homecoming.... but I saw how the student body ostracized and ridiculed a classmate that came out. It was so bad he ended up dropping out. I lost track of him. Hope he got his GED. Many years later I learned he died of AIDS. I morned for him then.

He was stonger than me back then. I wouldn’t take the risk he did. I couldn’t do it.

So, all you young LGBTQ people out there: Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever forget what those “old queens, queers, and Lesbos, did for you! They made this possible!.....and I am so glad I am around to see it....and right now I am crying remembering all my friends, living and dead that made this possible.

[JudyM]

7. It's a complete 180, hard to absorb the full wonder of the change.

Now it’s just how it is, the kids don’t think it’s any big deal. Like a dream, right?

[sdfernando]

8. Yes...exactly right....like a dream

I could only dream of this when I was in high school.....and even then it was better than in the 30s, 40s, and 50s.

So much progress...and now it seems threatened.

[JudyM]

11. They're not going to be able to push it back too far, we have too many allies now, especially

youngsters who are quickly learning the importance of activism. Our case has now pretty much been made for us in the public eye, it’s only the regressives who are fighting our rights, and I have faith that the mainstream will spurn them more and more.

[zentrum]

5. A help to

....the whole country of kids, not just their own highschool.

[George II]

9. These teenagers are smarter than the majority of adults. That gave me goose bumps.

Not only Pineda, but the dozens of classmates that cheered them on and were genuinely happy for Duarte.

When I was in Junior High School (almost 60 years ago!) I was the smallest in the class. I didn't have to deal with gay bashing (I'm straight) but a lot of bullying because of my size. Turns out a friend of mine, the captain (yes, not exaggerating) or our basketball team befriended me and became my "body guard".

He was head and shoulders better than any other player in school. When we had an intramural 3-player half-court basketball tournament, he chose me (I couldn't even dribble!) and another kid who had polio and had a serious limp. He told each of us to just stand in corners of the court, and he went one-on-three. We won.

Turns out he had a successful college career and coached a major college team for a number of years.

[JudyM]

12. He sounds like a mensch, a great, warm-hearted person. Sweet memory.

[sandensea]

10. Never ceases to amaze me how times have changed

It wasn't but 10 or 20 years ago that such bravery could you killed - or at the very least ostracized by everyone from your classmates, to your teachers, your neighbors, and even your parents themselves.

Good on them. That's courage.