Tag Archives: the gay men project

Ron, Oboist, Vancouver B.C.

photo by Kevin Truong

Ron, in his own words“I’m fortunate to find myself studying and working in the field of classical music, where discrimination based on sexual orientation is passé. One of the things I love about classical music is the type of person it draws; the arts foster a diverse, driven, and dynamic population. I have lived in four different countries, and no matter where I am I know I can feel at home in both the classical music and LGBTQ communities. Classical musicians are brought together by a shared dedication and passion to a tremendously competitive art form and the hardships associated with self-sacrifice and continued resiliency in the face of rejection. Gays are united by the challenges we have in common, including coming out, dealing with discrimination, and trying to find love in a world of Grindr and instant gratification. These groups are held together by a love, of what they do, of who they are, and of what they dream of becoming.”

Yoshi and Bill, Gallery Owners, Vancouver B.C.

photo by Kevin Truong

Bill, in his own words: “(With regards to being gay) Well an easy answer to that would be I feel like a Mac in a PC world. Which is pretty much held true for the last 20 or 30 years. The Macintosh computer (being gay) allowed me to do things that otherwise I would not have thought possible. The world up until recently saw things in a mechanical binary black or white either/or light. Straight/Gay. Very PC. Light has many colors!

As soon as I got comfortable with myself, I was off and running. Traveling all over the world. Escaping AIDS was the incentive to get out and live a truly excellent life. I had magically escaped the bullet. I was spared for this purpose.

The big challenge for me is always to stay in the moment. It is still very easy for me to terrorize myself with the past and the future. Keeping focused on the things that are important in the moment. In the context of love and sharing.

(The gay community in Vancouver is) Spread wide and far, usually you find community where living is cheap and cheerful. Not much of that in Vancouver. We meet in local coffee house or bars and establish small networks of friends . Pretty standard arrangements.

(My coming out story) was pretty much covered in the David Leddick interview that I did about 2003. Here is the link to that interview

my coming out

Probably TMI

(If I could give advice to myself before coming out) Truth is in the doing and being. Look for it now.”

Yoshi, in his own words” “Hula has changed my perspective on life. The teachings of hula are the teachings of life. They are learned using your six senses and your whole being as you get in harmony with nature. I realized what the hula has taught me is crucial to me as a photographer and an artist. It is about loving all things that nature provides, being compassionate and cooperative, respecting each other, and nurturing a sincere and humble heart. It is far more important to reshape one’s state of mind than to learn to do the dance moves. When one frees their mind, they start to dance with spontaneous and innocent smiles like children. I consider the hula to be a lifelong learning, and I want to share this love (“aloha”) with people. During my stay in Hawaii, I learned the hula and performed at numerous events. Although I am not designated as a hula teacher (“kumu”) and am still in the process of learning the hula myself, a friend of mine gathered up her friends and asked me to teach them. The hula family has grown by word of mouth, and I have the privilege of teaching 2 classes a week to 20 members (as of 2009). When I left Hawaii, my hula teacher said to me “Hula needs individuals who strive to raise their consciousness, and I know you will meet those people in Vancouver.” As it turns out, most of my students are involved in things such as Reiki, Qigong, Kabbalah(?) (numerology), and other forms of healing or study to better themselves and help others. I have become who I am today because of my hula family, and I’m so grateful to have met them.

(If I could give myself advice before coming out) My advice to myself would be “you are born free”

Blake, Film Maker, New York City

photo by Kevin Truong

Blake, in his own words: “I’ve lived in New York City for two and a half years and been gay for just a little longer. Living in the city hasn’t changed how I view or deal with my sexuality; if anything, there’s just a greater fear of missing out when I choose to stay home and watch Netflix (a frequent occurrence). What has changed is my perception of other queer men. About a year ago, I directed a short documentary called 20MALEGAYNYCthat featured young gay men living in New York talking about their relationships with other gay men, their own sexuality, and attempting to define the gay community (or lack thereof). The impetus for the project was one simple question: Why have all of my gay male friends said, “I hate gay guys?”

It’s easy to generalize anyone, not just gay men, but this internalized homophobia is a way of thinking that I had noticed in my friends and myself. It felt cool to be accepted by straight guys, to not seem as “gay” or “flamboyant” as someone else, to be able to say, “Well at least I’m not that obvious.” For many, it’s a good feeling when someone is surprised to learn you’re gay (that’s never really happened in my experience, but I can understand the feeling).

Through talking to other queer men my age for this documentary, and my current web series Male Gays , I became more aware of my own homophobic thoughts and behaviors and learned to be more accepting of other gay men. All the criticisms I had internalized about myself were expressed in my jokes or dismissive comments about someone liking Glee or dressing a certain way, when those have absolutely nothing to do with sexuality. It’s easy to attach a lot of baggage to one’s gay identity, but it’s healthier to accept that behavior and interests have nothing to do with who a person sleeps with, and even if they did, the person has every right to express these behaviors and interests. I still may not agree with fans of Glee, but detaching that from a gay stereotype has been important and healthy for me.”