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
All my new friends were probably more shocked by the way I introduced myself as queer then the idea of me being gay.
Imagine, a conservative Asian man who came out with his eyes wide open, not blinking and whispered when I’m about to say the word ‘gay’.
However, it quickly struck me that this whole gay thing wasn’t going to be an issue as I thought! No one treated me or judged my abilities any differently. They probably love me more and are happy that I’m comfortable with myself. Lotsa positive vibes. My time in Krakow was magical and it was then I felt that I finally lived for the first time.
That was the first gift I gave myself after 23 years of living. I like to think I turned 1 y.o. that year ☺ It was my first step of self-acceptance.
When I turned 2, I was given another chance to study abroad in Copenhagen. I wasn’t as excited as last time but this trip I met a guy.
I’m usually very analytical and practical by nature, but with him, with his piercing baby blue eyes, his openness, and humor I could not resist this charming Viking descendant. Knowing that I had an expiry date in Copenhagen I still let myself fall deep into it. My time in Copenhagen was more like a fairy tale, lost in time, exploring the snowy city with him, on the bike by day and in his arm by night.
He was the second gift I allowed myself to fall into.
Cheers to uncertainty, spontaneousity and love.
We decided to make a trip to my hometown when my term ended, as a ‘best friend’.
Before going home, I planned a trip to Germany over Christmas knowing that he would be celebrating it with his family and I should not intrude. Something about Christmas in Hamburg, the Christmas markets, couples holding hands; the snow evokes a strong sense of loneliness in me. I saw Starbucks from a distance and immediately in my mind Starbucks = free wifi, I thought talking to a familiar voice would help until halfway through the conversation I blurted out.
Sis, u know the friend who is visiting next year? ya mum told me about it.
He is more than just a friend.
Dead silence. She was lost of words. What have I done? I assumed that she would be able to accept it. Everything from thereon went downhill and the news spread like a wildfire within my family. I was nowhere near to explain and was left no choice to leave it suspending mid-air. Nobody was happy about it and it was nerve breaking.
So it was official, I came out at the age of 3. Well to be fair, it wasn’t my plan to come out to the whole family. Thanks to my sis, I didn’t need to do it myself. However, coming from an Asian family, we are best in not talking about the issue and it became the taboo topic of the house that thou shalt not speak of!
I had a choice then. Either I could chose to turn away from my family and continue my solitary living or I could put my head down, be there until the wave past. Tough times … We all of us have a choice. But being gay..nope! Not a choice.
Unfortunately not all fairytales have a happy ending. My relationship with the Viking ended before I turned 5. We’ve been through a lot, up and downs, our silly travels and hygge-ing around. Thank you for all the unconditionally love, happy memories you left me with. Thanks for shaping me into a better man and making me believe in same sex love.
I’d experience love and being love.
I matter to someone and respected .
We built a life together in each other’s warmth and embrace.
The only thing is I share all of this with a man.
I am 6 years old now. Now that I am out on the other side, I’m glad I came to terms with myself. I can see the dark times in my early life, the utter confusion, the crippling self- hate moments. I was so upset and wanted to end it all. All is good now and will get better.
I long for the day when my family will accept me for who I am but we shall not linger on that thought too rigidly. We are not defined by our sexuality. We are much more than that; it’s just our natural attraction to a currywurst over a pink taco. Things will come into places over time. Don’t rush it.”
“We are not defined by our sexuality. We are much more than that; it’s just our natural attraction to a currywurst over a pink taco.”
I wish people would just stop saying that already. It is a nice sentiment to say about something these days — we are much more than our race, we are much more than our gender, we are much more than this or that — but it is also quite plainly false. This site is called “the gay men project” for a reason. If “we are not defined by our sexuality” then our sexuality is by definition not a defining aspect of our beings and not a definitive part of our lives. If that were even remotely true, then why fight so hard for it? Why fight so hard for something that doesn’t define us? That so many of our brothers and sisters in many parts of the world would courageously put their very lives on the line fighting for our sexuality should give all of us pause the next time we even think of spewing such banal, privileged platitudes.
Yes, Ra. I agree with you. I think perhaps what should be said is that we are not limited by our sexuality maybe. Because, as you say, we really are defined by it whether we like it or not. It is who we are though it is not everything we are. When I came out to my children it changed how they thought about me and so altered our relationships, though that in itself was weird because for me nothing had changed, though for them everything had.
Thank you for sharing. I’m amazed that you still have such a positive approach when so many things are so negatively opposed. Though I guess you had some great experiences to give you that attitude.