This is part of #KaraniwangLGBTQIA, which Outrage Magazine officially launched on July 26, 2015 to offer vignettes of LGBTQIA+ 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.”
Ryzen Evangelista – who is in his 20s, and was originally from the Quezon Province, though now based in Batangas City – used to date girls.
“I never thought I’m gay because I dated girls before,” he said. “I realized that I’m gay through social media and other stuff I watched. There’s this series I was watching, it’s a BL series from Thailand, it was called ‘Together’, and I watched it and I realized I’m not straight.”
As the eldest of five kids, he came out to his mom, though not to his dad and his side of the family.
“My mom was very open about it,” he said. “I just feel very accepted by her, and the warmth (of the support) that she gave me.”
As a new member of the LGBTQIA+ community, Ryzen is thankful he has not experienced discrimination.
“I think I surrounded myself with the right people,” he said, “so I never really felt discriminated.”
Ryzen is partnered now, after meeting his very first boyfriend in Instagram. But he knows finding love isn’t easy for LGBTQIA+ people.
“Especially if you’re someone who’s looking for genuine love. Because genuine love is not something you can just (find) anywhere. There are some that’s just infatuation. These aren’t too serious. What’s more difficult is finding the right partner. One who’d understand you, someone compassionate, one who really listens, and one who is open to things,” he said.
Ryzen – who did Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, majoring in marketing management in Batangas State University–Pablo Borbon Campus – admitted that he may have been lucky, but other members of the LGBTQIA+ community still face various issues.
“Especially trans women and those with other sexualities who still face discrimination in the community. I feel saddened about this fact because not a lot of people are open about it,” he said.
Various LGBTQIA+ organizations have efforts to help particularly young LGBTQIA+ people like himself, according to Ryzen. But he wished the entire rainbow community is more aware that there are challenges that exist in the first place.
“The main issue I can think of is discrimination. Particularly in the workplace… and discrimination while growing up,” he said.
For Ryzen, people who hate LGBTQIA+ persons should educate themselves.
“Continue to educate yourself. We are also humans, like you. And although we have differences, like our sexuality, we’re still the same human beings,” he said.
Ryzen, of course, knows that there may be people who’d think that young LGBTQIA+ persons like himself are just confused, and do not know yet what they are getting themselves into.
“Why do you know more than us?” he beamed.
And for younger LGBTQIA+ people, like himself, Ryzen said they should find strength.
“Continue to be strong because you will face a lot of challenges in life. And there’s nothing you can do about it but just be strong,” Ryzen ended.
