My Dad knows I am Gay

I don’t know how to speak the Japanese language but I can tell you what it’s like to grow up with a Japanese father whose parents moved to the United States in 1914 and ran a laundry business in Oakland during the 1930s and 1940s when they lost it all to the World War II. I spent my childhood in a nice middle-class suburb of Boston before we move further to Massachusetts. By then, I knew my only Asian dad because I knew no one else, not a soul that was Japanese, or Chinese, or any Asian, for that matter.

My mother was a white Anglo-Saxon protestant who married an Asian guy in 1950, who looked very white. My dad taught me how to behave well, how to do my taxes, how to be well organized and above all, how to save every scrap of paper, recycle boxes, bags, and clothes. Moreover, he taught me an Asian thing on how to bath every night before bed where “brush-brush-wash-wash” was his child-like chant. I learnt that, I was never to shout at any adult, never to look at any body directly in the eye, and never to draw any negative attention to any member of our family.

By the age of sixteen, I had started reading all about gays. But accidentally I left a book titled young gay and proud on top off my mother’s washing machine. She was so aggressive to me and warned me about it but surprisingly to my dad, he had little to say about my personal arena. He knows very well that I am a gay but does not take it to the point of harassing me. My dad puts less efforts in trying to stop me do what seem to be my personal issues. When I started smoking when I was 18, he said less, when he saw my tattoo when I was 30, he said nothing. And now about being gay, he has really never said anything.

Unlike my mother, my father has never been furious about my sexual orientation. My mother was the one who agreed to get married to an outcast and for that virtue, my dad, however, grew up being an outcast. It is not in him to comment on my sexual orientation, but let it come to school work, saving money and getting well organized; he would do any thing to ensure that I stick to that. I even for once drag him to meet some of my Asian gay friends in Castro while we had dinner.

Kenfil's Postive Life - Chapter 1 Love Hate Christmas

1990, Christmas, Hong Kong. At sixteen years old, Kenneth Cheng had his first gay cruising experience. He was taking the Metro home in the late evening. There was Tony, standing only a few meters away from him. They were staring at each other but Kenneth was too innocent and shy. He didn't how to react. While in the train, Tony made the first move and striked a conversation. Everything happened so quickly and before Kenneth knew it, he had his first sexual experience with a man in a public restroom. A week past and they met up again. This time, Kenneth lost his virginity.

He had no idea this is only the beginning of his long journey to be the first AIDS patient who stood up for his rights and co-found Hong Kong Rainbow, the first LGBT center in Hong Kong.

Read Kenneth Cheng's real life story - 'Kenfil's Postive Life' - Chapter 1 Love Hate Christmas

Interview with Gay Asian Photographer Jeff Sheng

Jeff Sheng was majored in film and photography at Harvard and he is currently a lecture/adjunct professor at UCSB. His photography projects included Revolutions of Memory which featured a powerful image where Matthew Sheppard lay dying, Fearless - a photography showcase of out and proud athletes and Thesis Album - images of Jeff's significant other during college, and were shot over a three year period.

Read the interview with Jeff here

Online Banking

Robert T. wrote about his aweful and frustrating experience after his identity was stolen online. He had to deal with a lot of hassle to straighten everything out and he offers a few tips on how to protect yourself online.

Read 'Online Banking' here.

David Lewis, Interviewing the Writer and Director, "Under One Roof"

David Lewis, "Under One Roof", how he came up with the storyline?
See the David Lewis Interview by Bo at SFGAM

SFGAM talked to Ongina - Top 10 contestant in RuPaul's Drag Race

New contributor Paul Lee Cannon tracked down Ongina, who entered RuPaul's Drag Race, and had an interview with her via email and phone. Ongina tells Paul just about everything about herself (Girls need to keep some secerts, of course) and her experience in the race.

Paul also tracked down serveral friends of Ongina and they spilled some beans about her. Ongina is the only Asian American who made it into the Drag Race and she announced the shocking news of her being HIV+ in front of the camera. Her courage and strength are both admirable. Read this fabulous interview: Ongina Interview - Top 10 Contestant in RuPaul's Drag Race

Jason Wu - A rising star in the fashion world

The whole world watched Obama's inauguration. When First Lady Michelle Obama wore a fabulous gown designed by Jason Wu, he immeditately recevied tremendous attentions from tens of millions of people. Actually Jason Wu is not someone came from nowhere. He is a fashion designer who is well established. In Ryan E's article: Jason Wu - A fashion Darling in His Own Right, you will find out more about this new talent. Read the article here.

Who is Michelangelo Signorile? He is a Gay Right Activist in the U.S.

Michelangelo Signorile started out as a writer and now has his own show on Sirus/XM satellite raido station. He talks about the Gay Movements and fights for Gay Rights for the LGBT communities in the U.S. and around the world. Ryan E introduced him in this his article and you will find out Michelangelo Signorile's history and the work that he had done. Read his article - Michelangelo Signorile: Spokesperson for Gay Rights here

What is N.Hoolywood? It is a fashion brand from Japan

Being a gay man in Asia usually pays very close attention to trendy fashion and N.Hoolywood is a rising star in the fashion world from Japan that cannot be ignored. Ryan E introduced N.Hoolywood and its brainchild - Daisuke Obana in his article. He tells you the story about Obana travelled to Los Angeles and got the inspirations to start this fashion line which is now getting more popular not only in Japan but also in Europe and North America.

Read our Gay Asian writer Ryan E's article - N.Hoolywood: Glamorous Groundbreaking Hooligan here.

Are you gay and want to visit India?

Shahrukh K from India talks about traveling in his country for the LGBT travellers. Indeed India is a homophobic country but it is a place worth visiting. He will give you pointers about where to go, what to expect, what to do and what not to do. This country is huge and he would
give you some guidelines on deciding which part of the country to visit.

Read his article 'Gay Travel In India' here

Gays be Monogamous

Lance Galloway shares his views on gay relationships. Is it true that straight people have it easier than gay people to maintain a long term relationship? What makes it so difficult for gay relationships hard to maintain? Is it really true that there is no gay role models for gay teens to follow and look up to? Does gay marriage has something to do with all of the above?

Read Lance's article 'Gays be Monogamous' and find out.

Links of the Gay World, Exchange your link with us!

Is your site in the Gay World category?, yes?, Then you can exchange your link with us! For that, please contact us.
Here is our Links Page
The rule is simple, we put your link in our site, and you put ours in yours! That easy!

Finding Love in Tokyo

Our contributor Lance Galloway tells you about finding love in Tokyo for gay men.

In a city where people are so isolated from one and another, how do one finds his true love?

Read his story here

Jason Chu got married!

Love is hard to find and if you found it, you better hold on to it to your dear life!

Our Contributor, Jason Chu, recently took vow with his newly wedded husband in Vancouver, Canada.

He shares his views and feelings about marriage in his latest article - Declaration.

Cape No. 7 Movie Review

Our Gay Asian Contributor, Chris Chung , wrote an article about the No. 1 Taiwanese Movie of The Year - Cape No. 7.
This movie involves the history of Taiwan when she was under the ruling of Japan. It is a musical, comedy, drama and overall a movie that has all the right chemistry.
You can read it here: www.sfgam.com
Direct link to the article:
Cape No. 7 (No. 1 Taiwanese Movie of the Year or in History)

Want to know what Fiore Graves thinks about the 'WRONG' in COPYRIGHT?

Fiore has an interesting point of view in the world of Copyright.

To him, it involves with human rights, socialism and capitalism.

You can read his article here: THE 'WRONG' IN COPYRIGHT

How do gay seniors handle the aging issue?

What happens when we gay people age? How do we deal with this issue? Shahrukhk wrote an article called "Aging Homosexually". In this article, he wrote about the gay aging issue which many of gay seniors are facing.
Read the "Aging Homosexually" article.