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
Ariel, in his own words: “Ser gay para mí es ser quien soy, ahora y en todo lugar. Es parte de mi identidad, no lo podría aislar para analizarlo, simplemente, así como ser fotógrafo es ser quien soy, ser gay es otra parte más de mí.
Irme de la casa de mi familia fue el primero de los retos que tuve años atrás, al salir de la adolescencia… el más reciente y significativo ha sido tomar la decisión de dedicarme a mi pasión 100%: la fotografía.
Fue divertido y aliviador: había cerrado mi cuenta de facebook porque me había “cansado” de las redes sociales, allá por 2010… y algunos meses después, luego de ir a la marcha del orgullo, llegué a mi casa abrí la cuenta de facebook y “grité” a los cuatro vientos: sí, soy gay!
En mi familia nunca fue un problema el decirlo, pero sí mi madre pensó que era algo que podía cambiar al principio… por suerte ese pensamiento suyo cambió y hoy me acepta por como soy sin problema.
La comunidad gay es muy abierta aquí en Buenos Aires… creo que tiene peso a nivel social, que es escuchada, pero que todavía necesita seguir el proceso para que la sociedad acepte sin diferencias a los que somos distintos a ciertos patrones de modelos de individuos que por décadas se han inculcado.
(Advice I’d give my younger self) Try not to think too much. Follow your dreams ALWAYS, and never let anyone tell you what you can or cannot do!”
In English:
“Being gay for me is who I am now and everywhere. It is part of my identity, I could not isolate it for analysis, just as being a photographer is who I am, being gay is another part of me.
Leaving my family’s house was the first challenge I had years ago, coming out during adolescence … the most recent and significant was the decision to devote 100% of my passion: photography.
(My coming out) was fun and soothing: I had closed my Facebook account because I had “tired” of social networks, back in 2010 … and a few months later, after going to the pride march, I got home and I opened the Facebook account and “I yelled” from the rooftops: yes, I’m gay!
My family was never a problem, but my mother thought it was something that could change at first … thankfully that thought his changed and she now accepts me as I am without problem.
The gay community is very open here in Buenos Aires …I think it has a voice at the social level, which is heard but you still need for society to accept the differences that exist to certain patterns of models.
(Advice I’d give my younger self) Try not to think too much. ALWAYS Follow your dreams, and never let anyone tell you what you can or can not do!”
As usual, BEAUTIFUL photographs. And this time, you certainly have a worthy subject. I have not been to BA in several years. Hopefully, next time, I will run into Ariel. Kevin, thank you for all your great work. And, hey, you travel even more than I do. I hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoy your camera and your interviews.