Out and Proud
Leonard in Ang Pinoy Stories
Feb 18, 2020 • 2 min Read
I came out as bisexual almost two years ago. I was very happy how supportive my family was regarding my gender preference. I was also thankful that I have an accepting environment of friends and former colleagues.
With that off my chest, what’s next? Others may simply think that my life a bisexual is easy. Yet I realized that there’s still more to face in this crazy world.
Many gay people have decided to come out to their families, friends, and their confidantes in recent years. They have various reasons for doing so. Anyway, Filipinos seem tolerant of the gay community, but in reality, they are not fully accepting. As a bisexual, I have heard of annoying judgments everywhere, including:
- “You are nasty because you have sex with both genders.”
- Some men ask me for a threesome.
- People distant themselves from me. Either they’re against you for being gay and being part of the gay community or they are afraid that you might have a hidden intimate desire for them.
- Bisexuals are sexually aggressive.
- I’ll go to hell.
- I am diagnosed with gender dysphoria (by psychologists and psychiatrists).
Tough life. If you are planning to come out now, I am not discouraging you.
We cannot easily shift the majority of the Filipino’s perspective on the gay community and we’re not supposed to shift it. Instead we need to be more open-minded in our community. In time acceptance may happen, but for now we need to remain patient and be conscious of concerns and issues.
Many of us out there may be experiencing the same dilemma and others may be facing a more difficult situation. I know some gays out there who are aggressively fighting for our rights and I admire them, while others are fighting in silence. Know that you are enough. Never give up.
Let me leave you with this personal lesson: you don’t have to be ashamed of who you are. Not everyone will understand you. There’s no need to explain to them who you are. All you need to be is to be yourself. Be true to yourself. You are responsible for your own peace. Live a life that is meaningful and continue being a compassionate and loving individual.
Keep your head high!
