Growing up in Taiwan within the confines of a devout Presbyterian family, my days were marked by a routine centred around religion: up at 7am on Sundays to park right outside the church for services; prayers before meals; and meticulous memorisation of biblical verses in Taiwanese, Mandarin and English. This strict upbringing, coupled with societal and familial homophobia, framed the intense struggle I faced in embracing my authentic self.
From an early age of around six or seven, I sensed my divergence from societal norms regarding my sexuality. However, in a society rife with homophobia, particularly within my family and the church, I quickly learned to bury this truth. Finally coming out at 15, amid my mother’s battle with breast cancer, proved to be an ill-fated revelation. My parents dismissed it as a fleeting phase, grounding me, confiscating my phone, blocking my access to the internet, and even entertaining the idea of subjecting me to socalled ‘conversion therapy’.