Thai | British
Being a Gay Asian man has been very difficult growing up with this identity. I have always found it tricky when dating and have always had in the back of my mind, my race will be the deciding factor if a guy will start anything new with me. Growing up in a small town that had very few people of colour role models around me, made me lose my Asian identity, and having minimal representation in the media, I felt it was a valid reason why my dating life in one word 'sucked' as my race wasn't visible to the mainstream and therefore conditioned to find a certain race more attractive. Once I left my small town and lived in metropolitan cities like Manchester and now London I exposed myself to a vast amount of people of colour. This has let me have an acceptance of myself that I have always struggled to have. Dating life is still tricky but I have learnt that acceptance is the key to move past this and to truly accept yourself in your own skin.
I would only ever talk to anyone seriously about my identity to someone who is mixed-race or a person of colour. They instantly identify with what I am saying and it feels I can get genuine constructive advice because most probably have been through the same struggles. Strong independent self-assured Asian men and women are my role models. My Thai Mother is probably the strongest person mentally I know. In terms of the mainstream media, Gok Wan, Burt Kwouk, Gemma Chan as well as Will Sharpe.
There isn’t any East Asian representation that I can see, especially in mainstream media. I might as well be invisible. Where are all the South East Asian people in the soaps, TV shows and publications? I am incredibly passionate about South East Asian culture and representation. Being mixed-race I have struggled with being seen and heard, and at times taken seriously. Being someone now who is in their 30's I would like to be a part of a movement that spearheads British South East Asian’s into the spotlight. I am tired of seeing minimal representation for my race and would like to see things change dramatically very soon. I’m also in Drag - see my @pad_thai_drag profiles on Instagram.
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