Apenas uma orientação sexual.

I had the challenge of facing bullying in adolescence and success to overcome this without trauma.

Tive o desafio de enfrentar bullying na adolescência e o sucesso de superar isto sem traumas.

There are several communities in São Paulo. Mine is quite homely and friendly.

Existem várias comunidades em São Paulo. A minha é bem caseira e amigável.

(Coming out) was easy. I always had very special friends and family.

Foi fácil. Sempre tive amigos e família muito especiais.

(If I could give myself advice before coming out I would say) Come out of the closet as soon as possible, because everyone around you already knows that you are gay.

Liberdade. No inicio pode não parecer fácil, mas aceitar isso e se respeitar, em primeiro lugar, é o mais importante pra ser feliz.

There was no challenge about being gay, besides the normal life. But my greatest success was the acceptance of my family and friends and to have found love so early, I hope to take to the end of life.

Não houve nenhum desafio em relação a ser gay, além dos normais da vida. Mas meu maior sucesso foi a aceitação da minha família e amigos e ter encontrado o amor tão cedo, que eu espero poder aproveitar até o fim da vida.

(The gay scene in São Paulo is) Varied to extremes, we have bars and parties for all types from bears to dragqueens.

Diversificada ao extremo, temos bares e festas para todos os tipos, de ursos a dragqueens.

In the beginning (coming out) was very difficult, you do not want to hurt people who are nearby and apparently it’s easier to keep up appearances and stay with people of the opposite sex, but it is not, and you are always under immense pressure, and when you say is such a relief, the next minute you’re light and happy with yourself. Everything was so perfect, the fourth guy I kissed became the man of my life … I do not think would do differently.

My biggest challenge was to go through the bulling I suffered during school time. Bullying is a topic that is much discussed these days, but back in the 80’s it was really complicated to be a shy/nerdy/gay kid. One interesting thing is that I was bullied for being gay before I understand what sexuality was all about or even actually having a sex drive.

My biggest success was to overcome a very limited scenario in which I was born and raised. I was born in a poor family in the suburbs with all its financial difficulties. My parents and grandparents helped me out as much as possible for me to study and to grow as a decent person. I took all chances and I was the first on my family to go to college and have “a real big job”. I am grateful to all of them.

I could define São Paulo gay community in one word: diversity. You can find here the princesses (in Brazil they call them Barbies), bears, indies, hipsters and so on. I find it refreshing because I come from a city in which the only gay archetype that is acceptable it the buffed-all-waxed-suntan-lined-porn-star-look-a-like guy.

Getting out of the closet was complicated just in my head. Once I figured it out and accepted it was all natural. I didn’t have “the conversation” with my mother; my family knew it all along.