Jiaqi, Student, Oderzo, Italy

photo by Kevin Truong

photo by Kevin Truong

photo by Kevin Truong

photo by Kevin Truong

photo by Kevin Truong

photo by Kevin Truong


photo by Kevin Truong

photo by Kevin Truong

photo by Kevin Truong

photo by Kevin Truong


photo by Kevin Truong

photo by Kevin Truong

Jiaqi, in his own words: “Being gay. Well, what does it mean for me? I’m not sure that I’m able to answer this question, it sounds too difficult. Being gay for me is everything, it is my reason for living. To be gay is something that completes me, I can’t imagine a me that loves girls. To be attracted by boys is a wonderful feeling, I’ve known this feeling since I was six years old even though I didn’t know what being gay meant. That feeling has become more clear over the time.

The greatest success that I had in my life has been accepting my sexuality, I swear that it wasn’t so easy. I felt it was wrong and I tried to be straight, I also tried to have a girlfriend but, luckily was unsuccessful because I’m not a good liar and I couldn’t lie to myself and I couldn’t cheat on my true nature.

Now, my main challenge is to come out as gay. It’s not so easy so I’ve decided to come out step by step. First I came out to some close friends and then to my classmates. I love the feeling after a coming out because you can finally BE and feel free to express yourself. The difficult part of this huge challenge is to come out to my parents and to my relatives. They are Chinese and in my family nobody has ever said the word “gay”. Right now I’m not ready to take this important step, I’m still too young and I need more self confidence. But I’m sure that I’ll win this battle.

I live in a small town in the close minded North East of Italy, so there isn’t a true gay community around me. It’s not easy meeting gay people, or having a relationship. I’m going to move to a bigger city for my university studies and I hope to find an environment that lets me express myself completely, without judgments, without discriminations.

I have never kissed a boy, I have never had a boyfriend and I have never had sex. I’m seventeen and this situation is very frustrating. I used to be sad and depressed every time that I saw a photo of a happy gay couple on the web. Now I have changed and the advice that I could give to my younger myself is: take it easy and don’t rush.”

5 thoughts on “Jiaqi, Student, Oderzo, Italy

  1. mike plambeck

    Be true to your feelings..you are still young and should not rush into coming out.With that said however,do not waste your youth,come out to close friends and be comfortable in your own skin.

  2. jempeirson

    It was a delight to read your testimony: so well written and so refreshing. You have your life ahead of you and are already taking some positive steps but not rushing into things: so wise, so sensible, for such a young man. I applaud you! Enjoy each step along the way and let them open to you like the petals of a beautiful flower, because that’s what your life should be.
    And thank you, Kevin, as always, for making these testimonies accessible to us all. Lovely photos, by the way, as always! Lol!

  3. Jens

    Well done Jiaqi, Im proud of you and Kevin, thanks for making this possible and for
    the great photos (as usual).

  4. kreemer

    I hope this lovely boy has a great first experience! Sex is not everything, however, the point of being gay and male, is that thing that happens the first time a man touches you, the first time your desire for a man is matched by his.

    Afterward, yes, there’s more to live than sex. I wish this young man a tender, steamy first encounter and I wish him well as he grows!

  5. NoOne

    So proud to hear that, so polite and so friendly. I hope you’re still following you’re dreams paths. Hope to see you again, my friend. I know you forgot about me, this makes us human. Bye from NYC.

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