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
Josef, in his own words: “From early childhood I knew I liked boys more then girls. For me personally it was absolutely normal. The only trouble was to deal with people around me. I grew up in 80’s and 90’s in eastern Slovakia and I had so little information about what it meant to be gay. But I never wanted to change it, I felt special.
I think my whole life is a challenge. I was always very interested in art. When I was 26 I started to study photography at the University. I finished my Master degree with a very personal queer music project Mušnula. You can check it on youtube. I think is very important to express the queer side of my personality. The funny thing is that I am also a yoga instructor. And I am very conservative about yoga. That’s good balance.
I came to my mother the night before I left my parents flat. I was 20 and decided to move to another city to live with my boyfriend. I think my mother was sad not because I told her I was gay, but because I left home. We always had a very strong relationship.
My partner was director of a queer film festival in Prague for 4 years. So we are a part of queer community here. But I am not a party person, I do not drink alcohol and I don’t visit gay clubs or bars. So I really don’t know. I think I know more about yoga community.
I try not to look back. But I am 35 now and sometimes I feel I would like to have more friends. During my life I had just a few really strong friendships. Many of them do not last until today. And I think it is my fault. I don’t know if I can change it. Maybe it’s too late.”
I believe it is not easy at all to change behaviour patterns, which we build through our lives, based on our experiences and personality. I’m not sure, since I’m not an expert on the subject, but I think that, if we could be able to break or change them, it would be possible to us to change our way of seeing things and control ourselves according to what we aspire to be.
I’m sorry to intrude, but I enjoyed your text, which gave me interesting material to think about
Manel
Thanks for sharing, Josef. You cannot make people do what you want, but have to meet them where they are and take what they give, so don’t regret friends that were and are no more. Be thankful for what they contributed to your life and move on. You will make new friends who will accept you as you are. Look forward to that. Be blessed.