So, many moons ago, I thought why should I come out of the closet? Why should I care about writing about my Filipino background. I mean, it's not like anyone is going to care. Gay Filipinos are such a small part of the world's population. Who would want to listen to anything that I said or did? Recently, Icon, a gay Filipino magazine in The Philippines--and one of the few in Asia, interviewed me. I couldn't believe that a whole magazine is dedicated to this "small part of the world."I write for many reasons. A big one is to examine the intersection of different lives, countries, time periods, and beliefs. I heard a radio interview with Maya Angelou who said that people read to hear "The Truth." It doesn't matter who you are, where you're from, people want "The Truth." Coming out and accepting myself as a gay Filipino man was one of the most truthful things that I ever did. I hope some of that Truth comes out in my work.
5 comments:
It does. Keep tellin' it!
So did you get to meet the sexy man in the towel? (Another literary reason....)
It's funny how you talk about Gay Filipinos as "such a small part of the world's population." They seem to be a large part of the gay community here in New York City, but I guess in the larger sense you are correct. It's easy for one's point of view to be influenced living inside a large gay population. Many of my friends are Filipino and it's always seems to me to be a tight-knit community. Anyway, keep telling the Truth...
Having been in the Phillipines and having met many Filipino-Americans (including as another person profiled in Icon, Alec Mapa), I think that for "such a small part of the...population" they make a huge impact on the world, and maybe even disproportionately on the queer world, especially in the USA.
We need more people like you who are not afraid to speak the The Truth, (per Maya Angelou), no matter how they it.
Ray
I completely agree and en route to the truth, nothing more, nothing less. Your trush definitely comes out
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