Alejandro and Ernesto, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Alejandro (left) and Ernesto (right), photo by Kevin Truong

Ernesto (left) and Alejandro (right), photo by Kevin Truong

photo by Kevin Truong

Ernesto and Alejandro, photo by Kevin Truong

Ernesto, in his own words: “(Being gay) Significa una vida en libertad para vivir tu sexualidad de la forma más natural posible.

La ley de Matrimonio Igualitario que logramos en Argentina fue el desafío más notable que hemos tenido los homosexuales no solo en nuestro querida patria sino también en toda América.

Nunca tuve que salir del placard porque nunca me sentí adentro. Lo que sí hicimos con mi marido, fue iniciar el camino para lograr la sanción de la ley que mencioné anteriormente. La exposición mediática por ese tema, me dio más fuerza y convicción acerca de quién soy y lo que quiero

(The Gay community in Buenos Aires) Muy variada, muy ecléctica. Desde las personas trans hasta los/las homosexuales con aspecto hétero, las diferencias son enormes. Pero podemos ponernos rápidamente de acuerdo cuando hay que luchar por el respeto que nos merecemos solo por ser seres humanos.

(Advice I’d give my younger self) Nunca pierdan las esperanzas de vivir en un mundo mejor.”

In English:

“(Being gay) means a life of freedom to live your sexuality in the most natural way possible.

Equal Marriage Laws we achieved in Argentina was the most significant challenge we’ve had for homosexuals not only in our beloved country but throughout America.

I never had to leave the closet because I never felt inside. What I did with my husband we did was to start the way for the enactment of the law that I mentioned earlier. The media exposure for the subject, gave me more strength and conviction about who I am and what I want.

(The gay community in Buenos Aires is) Varied, eclectic. With trans people up to / with hetero homosexual aspect, the differences are huge. But we quickly agreed to fight for the respect we deserve just because we are all human.

(Advice I’d give my younger self) Never lose hope of living in a better world.”

Octávio, Painter, Brasilia, Brazil

photo by Kevin Truong

Octávio, in his own words: “Being gay means allowing myself to be who I am; it means not to worry about following some patterns or standards that are ruled and dictated by a homophobic society. Homosexuality is just one of so many characteristics that I have, just a part of me. Honestly, I’m more disturbed by my tendency to get a bit sweaty than being gay, talk about sweating the small stuff!

When I was thirteen, I discovered that I might be gay. At first I became really worried about that and tried to deny the possibility. At that time, I was living abroad and had no friends. So I decided to keep myself quiet and save this secret with me. When I came back to Brazil, I was enrolled in a military high school. By then I already knew that I was gay, but to blend – to be accepted and to preserve my “identity” – I started following and adopting straight customs. In this struggling environment, I joined my school’s glee club. It represented for me a place where I could strip off that behavior designed to fit in, and started being myself. There I met a girl who became my best friend. For the first time, with her, I opened myself and shared my secret about my sexuality. Her reception was the best I could expect, and I started feeling lighter from that day on. A few months later, I decided to talk about things with my parents. I was expecting a violent reception, perhaps even being kicked out of my home. To my surprise, I was accepted and embraced. At the beginning, they sent me to a neurologist, because they believed that I was mentally ill and that homosexuality was a disease. For one year, I had psychological counseling. Over time we discovered together that I’ve always been gay and that homosexuality is not a disease and nothing has changed in my behavior since I came out. Actually, I’ve became happier and more buoyant. Nowadays, my parents treat me with the same respect that they treat my two sisters that are straight. In our family we can speak openly about any subject now.

I was a very sensitive and creative kid, but during my oppressive and repressive adolescence, I left my creative side behind. After I came out, I started not to care anymore about the opinions of others about my choices. Like, I didn’t care if they thought choosing an artistic career could look like a ‘gay’ thing. So I started to chase my dreams. For two years, I studied Architecture and Urbanism at university, but I found my true calling and personal fulfillment in the visual and fine arts. I’ve discovered myself as a painter, and studied Art History during an exchange year at the University of Florence in Italy. I continually expose my art all over the world (and online using my website, www.octaviorold.com). In the beginning, I was afraid that my sexuality could impact on my audience; perhaps people would decide not to go to my exhibitions just because I’m gay. But I have found that art touches people, and our deepest essence as human beings doesn’t have prejudice.

Despite being comfortable with my sexuality, I’m generally not into dance clubs. I know that there is a really good gay environment in Brasilia and it has a lot of good options for those that want to have some fun. I think that Brasilia is a gay-friendly city, and I’ve never suffered explicit homophobic aggression in the form of verbal or physical abuse.

If I could give Tavinho (‘Little Tavio’) advice, I would tell him to try to be more confident and not to worry so much about following standards. I would tell him to live fully and let the universe be in charge of the rest.”

Nehemiah, Counselor, Cape Town, South Africa

photo by Kevin Truong

Nehemiah, in his own words: “To me (being gay) means I’m fabulous, ambitious and a hard worker.

The first thing I created was my own chapter when I chose to live as a gay person. So what I have done is to forgive whoever wronged before without knowing. I asked forgiveness to those who I have wronged. I worked to get where I am today. I always am up for the challenge in life. I’m not afraid of taking a new ride. I make something out of nothing in my life. I turn my situation from red to yellow to the gay rainbow because that is who I am.

(With regards to coming out) I had a friend who was a lesbian. She kind a taught me the whole thing. I had my own experience in my mind. So the first person I told was my cousin because he was always on my side for everything I do. Even if the whole family is against me he was always there. Then I went from there and I first told my sister about it. She went and told the whole family and I was ready for that so it wasn’t that much to handle. Some asked me if they could call a Doctor or Tradition healer to see me and chaco everything. With all of that I didn’t stop them and I gave them the go ahead until they gave it in.

The gay community in Cape town is amazing. I never come across that huge problem of me being gay. But I saw some people who have come cross lots of things in life as a gay person. But to me Cape town is great, they treat me with the respect I give them. I smile at them every morning they smile back to me.

(With regards to advice) hmmmmm I come across a lot of things when I was young. I grew up in Village called MANZVIRE in Chipinge (Zimbabwe) I had to make something out of nothing again for me to go to school was hard without someone paying your school fees. I grew up with my Father which happened to never like me at all. He would fight with my Mother in front of me about how I acted like a girl and how I didn’t look like him and how he didn’t have a gay son. At the time I knew nothing about being gay. I was Nehemiah who liked to play with girls, that was what I knew at the time. He used to go to a park with other kids and I had to pretend to be busy because I knew he would not take me along. To see him laughing and having fun with my older brother and young brother while I was there, it was a pain and still a pain in my heart. I couldn’t bury the feeling of being rejected with my Father. People use to make fun of me. Telling me I’m not human enough to be loved that was why my own Father doesn’t like me. I grew up on that situation. It was very hard. Till I come up with decision of forgiving myself and everyone around me and to be happy. The only person I can’t forgive is my Father. I can’t.

So my advice will be “ONLY YOU CAN TELL NO ONE CAN TELL THE WAY I DO. SO BE STRONG AND CHANGE THE SITUATION AND TURN IT TO BE A MOTIVATING LETTER TO THE YOUNG TO BE BRAVE ENOUGH TO ALOW YOUR SELF TO BE HAPPY.”