Category Archives: New York City

Eduardo, Architect, New York City

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

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

Eduardo, in his own words: “Well let’s see how I can put this…

Being gay for me does not necessarily mean that much in terms of who I am. I think it does mean something to others surrounding me, it might make them more comfortable to classify who I am based on hetero-normative and prejudice, on which we have a lot to improve on.

Not too easy to identify what my biggest challenge has been because I try not to look back that much but let’s see…

Getting into grad school, I’m tough on myself and growing up I didn’t believe I was smart or capable of a lot. But look at that, I graduated high school, studied architecture and have been a Harvard grad for a couple of years. I don’t talk about it very often but it’s something that I’m very proud of.

The second challenge/success would be telling my siblings that my biological father use to sexually abuse me as a child. I have coped with it but the risk of them not believing was just not an option for a while. Mom is the next, but I’m sure she will believe me, even when it will be unexpected… let’s see how it goes.

I never came out to my Mom, I felt she already knew and did not need clarification. None of my other siblings told her they are straight, why would I then? Mom and I never talked about it but I got a job offer right after grad school and she borough it up because it involved moving to a country where being gay is not accepted. I considered it because it was the only job offer that seemed good at the moment.
I am number three out of four children. I did come out to my siblings via text a bit weird but it just happened naturally. To some extent everyone close to me knew it, it was just a matter of me being more open about it. Thankfully everyone was super cool about it.

The LGBT community in NY is q big one, with a lot of influence, respect and a lot of different people, but it does not make it any easier in any way. I do identify with it more here than back home in Puerto Rico.

I would tell my younger self to Believe in himself.
Don’t be scared to express emotions because of what others think. Fuck that.”

Peter-James and Manny, New York City

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

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

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

Peter-James, in his own words: “In this political climate; a time when you can’t open your phone without seeing another debate or think piece on “identity politics” I find myself at the intersection of QPOC (Queer person of color) and a gay man. “Gay” was always used as a slur against me during my childhood and adolescence. Even before I knew what gay was, let alone my own grasp on my orientation, I knew of the negative connotation. As I came out physically and metaphorically in the big cities of Philadelphia and New York, having grown up in the suburbs I quickly became exposed to spectrum of colors, genders and expressions that didn’t exist in the homogenous place I called home. However, on the flip side there was the exclusion of POC in the gay community in clubs and definitely online. As exposés were written and the spotlight shone on this very subject I have embraced the term queer and the more inclusive community that it brings. Being a gay and queer man means for me to continuously be open minded to new ideas, perspectives and experiences. I’m constantly learning!

When I recall the challenges I’ve faced in my life, I immediately think of my biological mother passing away of complications during childbirth; being born 3 months premature; feeling inadequate in school (academics, sports and social interactions); I tap into my experience of growing up in a mostly white household, and how at such a young age I had to defend my family unit as “normal”. Having a lisp as a child didn’t help matters of being accused of being gay either – how confusing it was to have to grapple with what a sexual identity even is in 2nd grade onward. Having to drop out of art school. And of course the trials and tribulations of attempting to date women… But, in tandem I think of my successes; having a family that loved me unconditionally; the odds I beat of being a premie and “under-developed”; that I could have meaningful and fulfilling friendships; excel in the workplace regardless of a degree; that I could come out on my own time, and be/build a life with my partner.

[With regards to coming out] How many times do we lie to our parents? Coming home from school and answering “How was your day today?” with “Fine,” and quickly breezing past any possible reasons to suspect otherwise and retreat to our hiding places. I dodged many questions of, “Are you seeing anyone?” with “No, I don’t have any time.” It was Easter weekend that I was visiting my parents, and asked the same usual questioning, I changed my answer to “Yes,” and showed my mom a photo of me, Manny and José James (the singer who’s show we met at). It wasn’t a lot of questions after I disclosed, my mother in fact told my father and the rest of my family before I had the chance to. For a while my parents felt hurt, but I was confident in my decision to wait on my own time before thrusting a new and vulnerable relationship (my first) into the stress and spotlight of family events, holidays and the like.The good news was I overcame any fear/negative thoughts about being gay a long time ago. The confusing part, even though I sensed a physical attraction to men, an emotional one I did not. It wasn’t until I met Manny did my feelings begin to change, and so the first year of our togetherness was a test of could I be with another man. After 365 days of test-driving, I decided to take my new vehicle off the lot and onto the winding roads, driving down to the Philadelphia suburbs, where we had breakfast in a diner with my parents. It was my birthday weekend. As a gift, my Dad gave me his vintage record player, perfect for any Brooklynite, but especially a couple who met and connected through music.

New York is one of the greatest cities in the world. If you want to be anonymous, there are 7+ million other people for you to blend in with. If you like attention, you can be as loud as you want. For a young queer person, the possibilities are endless, and most New Yorkers have seen it all. The ability to be yourself and to try on different experiences is truly its biggest asset. The LGBTQ community here is as diverse as the many expressions that exist, the tricky part can be finding your place and people to co-exist with. Many of the legacy clubs are gone and with them a nightlife of yore. Many POC spaces have been compromised due to gentrification and rising rents. In their place, parties and special nights which many people like myself look forward to and follow around the city. Papi Juice, a QPOC party that occurs semi-regularly began in a small club in Bed-Stuy they quickly outgrew. The club itself didn’t survive after they found a new and bigger space, with it a crowd with more white and straight folks then before. Everything evolves as the city itself evolves.

I think as a child and even a young adult I wanted to please the people I looked up to, whether it be my parents, family, elders, etc. A lot of the moral compass I believe was correct, but at times I think I overlooked the freedom of expression in order to come off as responsible and I may have forced myself to grow up too quickly. I genuinely think everything happens for a reason and usually there is a time and place for everything. My advice though to my younger self is to embrace the confidence, but also embrace the unknowns. You don’t have to have all the answers and it’s okay to deviate, not know what’s coming next, and that sometimes being a little “out of control” doesn’t need to equal being irresponsible.”

Zachary, Learning & Development Manager/Improv Performer, New York City

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

photo by Kevin Truong

photo by Kevin Truong

photo by Kevin Truong

photo by Kevin Truong

photo by Kevin Truong

photo by Kevin Truong

Zachary, in his own words: “I have always been observant.

I could easily spot wildlife long before anyone else while hiking in the mountains of Utah. As for rules, their inherent purpose was to be observed, so I implicitly complied. As for people, in social settings I was keenly aware of what they did while always asking myself, “Why?”

Ultimately, these observations have led me to succeed in my HR career and serve as fuel for my character work in improv. However, before it was a triumph, I could hardly even see it as a silver lining.

Being 6’6” it was (literally) hard to fit in, but that’s all I’ve ever wanted. Add being gay, and I was acutely aware of how different I was while growing up as Mormon in Utah. It’s a weird paradox going through school desperate to set yourself apart by being the best with a perfect GPA, with a lead in the school play, with the sweater of a Student Body Officer, and yet to remain being part of the group. Balancing these conflicting desires ultimately came down to not gaining undue attention. Give me attention, sure – but when it’s on my terms. So, I teetered back and forth always testing what was socially acceptable, toeing close to the line, but always sure to keep a safe distance away.

Awareness was my protection, my defense.

But despite my keen observations, there was a lot I didn’t see. It wasn’t until I moved to New York and later came out that I started to recognize the world for what it truly was. Mind you, coming out doesn’t magically make life better. A fairy drag queen of a mother doesn’t plop down, shower you with glittery rainbows, and whisk you away on a unicorn of dreams with fat-free thin mint girl scout cookies. You don’t suddenly become best friends with Nate Berkus throwing perfectly decorated rooftop brunches. Nor at that brunch does someone invite you to “summer” at their beach house next year.

Life still exists. It will be hard at times. And people, gay or not, are still people with all the emotions and bias that come along with being human. Friends will rush in and out. Morals get challenged in ways never previously imagined. God’s existence may come into question and surprises await on the other side of that pondering. Memories of past hardships will begin to fade. New talents will emerge. Confidence finds its way back into existence.

Nowadays, I love my life! Through it all, I have started to notice changes within myself. As a gay man, I have been able to expand my capacity to love and understand others. I connect with others in new ways and have deeper insight to the human condition. This would not have happened otherwise. My greatest trial has become one of my greatest blessings.

I will continue through life taking time to observe the world as it is, trying to find ways in which it could be better, and asking myself new and challenging questions. Luckily, one thing will no longer be rattling around inside for I now realize that while being gay isn’t inherently easy, it’s the only way I know how, or would ever want, to be.”