This Mumbaikar’s story of coming out as gay is winning the Internet!

A lot of people struggle with their identities, worried that they will be judged by social agents around them. Be it a child who wants to be an artist but is forced to pursue engineering, or someone who has been repressing his sexual identity for the fear of being judged by those around him — his family and loved ones, and the society that he lives in.

Humans of Bombay, a popular Facebook page, shared this story of courage recently. A short film-maker talks about his journey from being uncomfortable about his sexuality, subduing it, confronting it and then talking about it to his parents. It took him three years to come out to his parents who were absolutely disappointed. But at the age of 21, when he made an award winning short film on sexuality, the differences between this Mumbaikar and his parents completely disappeared, according to the Facebook post.

Read his beautiful story about acceptance and love, here.
“I always knew I had different preferences, but throughout my childhood I silenced myself and pretended to be someone else. When my friends at school spoke about girls I felt uncomfortable. When I was sexually attracted to a boy at 14, I tried my best to subdue it. I began to spend more time reading online, wondering if maybe I wasn’t the only one…and I wasn’t! It still took me 3 years to ‘come out’ to my parents— and they were devastated. Over the next few years, we grew apart but I was determined to show them my world and at 21, I made my first gay themed short film, ‘Logging Out’. I won an international award for it, but after watching that movie, the distance between my parents and me completely disappeared. We began to have healthy discussions about LGBT rights and when my relatives started bad mouthing me, I didn’t even need to say anything– my parents defended me the whole way. I’ve organised a number of Gay Pride Parades, and my mother recently walked with a placard that read, ‘I am proud of my Gay Child’! — and that was the best feeling in the world!” “How have your relationships been so far?”
  “When I was 20, I lost my boyfriend in a car accident and that was a really difficult time for me. Since then there have been relationships, but for now I’m focusing on my career and the cause.”
  “What’s the dream?”
  “In a few years, I see myself marrying a good man in front of my family and friends in the traditional Indian way, hopefully. We’ll adopt children and a stray dog and grow old together…that’s the dream.”

 Does his story inspire you? After all, it is not everyday that someone has a story of courage and love to share. Let us know what you think, in the comments section below.

Source: IndianExpress