This is part of #KaraniwangLGBTQIA, which Outrage Magazine officially launched on July 26, 2015 to offer vignettes of LGBT people/living, particularly in the Philippines, to give so-called “everyday people” – in this case, the common LGBTQIA people – that chance to share their stories.
As Outrage Magazine editor Michael David C. Tan says: “All our stories are valid – not just the stories of the ‘big shots’. And it’s high time we start telling all our stories.”
Jericho C. Talara, 22 years old from Las Piñas City, was around five years old when he said he knew he’s gay. Lucky for him, the youngest of four kids, he is out to his family that accepts him.
“I was five years old, and I liked joining dances in school,” he recalled in Filipino. Fortunately, “my family was happy, my parents were not dismayed after knowing I’m gay.”
But while his family was accepting, society has not been very accommodating of Jericho as a gay person. He experienced various forms of discrimination in different contexts.
“I experienced discrimination particularly in school, where I was bullied for being gay,” he said. “That saddened me.”
So as not to worsen the situation, Jericho said hindi niya na lang pinapatulan ang diskriminayon, he just chooses to ignore the hate.
“I just accept (the bullying), I choose to ignore it,” he said.
Jericho finished senior high school, but didn’t pursue college. Instead, he opted to just work as a freelance dance choreographer.
Jericho is single now, and he believes looking for real love is hard for gay men like himself.
“I sense that for many gay men, it’s all just a game,” he said.
Jericho believes that parents who do not accept their LGBTQIA+ children should realize that they’re family, and so should learn to be accepting.
“This is the time for you to accept them. Loving and accepting them should start from you,” he said.
For Jericho, marami pang issues na dapat harapin ang LGBTQIA+ persons, including in Las Piñas. Discrimination is, of course, the LGBTQIA+ community’s biggest issue, he said, though also HIV infection that is worsening in the gay and bisexual community. “This can be avoided with the right knowledge,” he said.
He believes, of course, LGBTQIA+ people need to love themselves first, by finding their real selves.
“Younger LGBTQIA+ people should study well,” he said, adding that they should “not be ashamed and love themselves. Show what you really are.”
Society, in general, continues to look down on LGBTQIA+ people, and for Jericho, this needs to change.
“We are no different from other people. We’re also human. We also feel, we get hurt. Just like you all,” Jericho ended.
