A Brighter Summer Day

A Brighter Summer Day

Kuang Ting and Cheng Huei on one of their rare times off together, New Taipei City, Taiwan, 2019 ‘Gay men in Taiwan think that manly gay men are more popular because when we were young we were told that we should be manly, don’t act like a girl! So when we grow up we want to find someone very masculine to compensate the lack of masculinity we should have. When I see straight guys playing basketball for example, even now I still wish I could be more like them. These big muscly American guys, competitive, real men. But what is a real man? I still need to learn how to break this stereotype, but this is a life long challenge.’ Kuang Ting Kuang Ting (right) and Cheng Huei have been together for nine years. Cheng Huei was exhausted on their day off as he works long hours. He is in the army and doesn’t feel safe to come out with his coworkers. Kuang Ting works as a part time English teacher. Cheng Huei only came out to his parents officially because he wanted to get married. He literally came out to his family the d

  • Product Code
  • ILEA002291528
  • Registered date
  • 2019/6/21 00:00:00
  • Credit
  • Abaca Press / Kyodo News Images
  • Media source
  • Middle East Images/ABACA
  • Media size
  • 6016 × 4016 pixel
  • Resolution
  • 300 dpi
  • Deployment size
  • 2.82(MB)*
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*File size when opened in Photoshop, etc.

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    A Brighter Summer Day

    A Brighter Summer Day

    Chi Chia Wei, Taiwan’s most famous LGBTQIA+ activist, Taipei, Taiwan, 2019 Chi Chia Wei is the first man in Taiwan who publicly came out as gay thirty years ago on national television, during a press conference announcing both his sexuality and his campaign for the prevention of HIV/AIDS. He started to fight for marriage equality when he was 28. ‘I am Chi Chia Wei, born in Taipei. From my family to school, and after leaving campus, I’ve never been treated badly due to my sexual orientation. This special background allows me to learn many things, and fight for the LGBTQ rights in Taiwan. I think it must be fate. In my teenager period, my family tried to teach us how to break the traditional rules. I came out when I was 17 years old, no one in the school was against me. I became an activist in 1986. The society in 80s in Taipei was not worse than other countries, but also not really friendly; it was basically the same everywhere in the world. However, I was the first person to discuss same sex marriage here, an
      A Brighter Summer Day

      A Brighter Summer Day

      Li Ting (right) and Jaeden after breakfast, New Taipei City, Taiwan, 2019 'Trans and non binary visibility is so crucial because that’s how I got to be able to be like this with such comfort and love for my trans, queer and Asian body. Even though I want to have top surgery it doesn’t change the fact that I love my body so much. I love that it goes through all these traumas for me. And without visibility I would be so confused and frustrated. Getting to know other trans and non binary people gave me the ability to know what’s going on and have the capacity to love it. It’s very big for me personally.' Jaeden When I first met them, Li Ting and Jaeden (left) had only been together for a month. Li Ting is originally from Singapore and moved to Taiwan seven months ago. She is a playwriter. Jaeden is from Taipei and identifies as trans and non binary. As an English translator they were able to find a lot of ressources on internet to reflect upon their identity, which are not really available in Mandarin. Photo by
        A Brighter Summer Day

        A Brighter Summer Day

        Li Ting and Jaeden having breakfast at Jaeden's mother's place in New Taipei City, Taiwan, 2019 Photo by Su Cassiano/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM
          A Brighter Summer Day

          A Brighter Summer Day

          Shih Han on the roof top of the building where his family lives, New Taipei City, Taiwan, 2019 ‘I feel very proud that Taiwan just became the first Asian country to legalize same sex marriage, and I really believe it’s just the first step. Now we have to let more and more people know that we have the same rights as heterosexual people. Education is the priority.  I get discriminated by gay men because of this expectation that we should be muscular with short hair, as to compensate for something. I’m sick of this. Some patriarcal gay men asked me why I had long hair, thinking I was giving gay men a bad name by looking different. They think it’s adding an extra layer of misunderstanding for the society. They believe I’m not a good gay man. But why should I follow the rules? I just want to be myself.’ Shih Han Shih Han is a performing artist. He lives with his family in New Taipei City. Photo by Su Cassiano/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM
            A Brighter Summer Day

            A Brighter Summer Day

            Aiko posing in her bedroom with her favorite stuffed animal, a unicorn, New Taipei City, Taiwan, 2019 « Being alive is a revenge in itself towards this hateful world. Be smarter, read more books so you can live a better life. Keep your romantic thoughts ; it will never be enough, especially when you’re getting older. You can think of killing yourself a hundred, even a thousand times, but if you are dead, you then lose the chance to love and to hate. So I would say cheers anyways. » Aiko Aiko is a 23 year old transgender woman from Nantou, a small town in the center of Taiwan. She now lives in Taipei where she just finished studying fashion design. She chose the name Aiko because she is greatly influenced by Japanese Kawai and Manga culture. Aiko's family is accepting of her trans identity, her mum even jokes around with the neighbors in her hometown saying that she had three boys but that now she has two sons and a daughter. Even though her family supports Aiko to be herself, it's still complicated for trans
              A Brighter Summer Day

              A Brighter Summer Day

              Po Cheng in his one room apartment, New Taipei City, Taiwan, 2019 Po Cheng is 29 years old activist for LGBTQIA+ rights. He grew up in Miaoli, a more conservative part of Taiwan. He tried to come out to his mother when he was twelve but she asked him if he needed to see a doctor, being considered as sick. As a child, his parents would not prevent him to do things considered girly, but his mother would tell him ‘you can do girly things but you can’t be gay’. ‘I tried to laugh about it. People in Miaoli are not exposed to LGBTQIA+ community, so it’s very new to them.Then we didn’t talk about it for many years. When I was twenty I talked to my family again. I told my mother and two sisters that I liked boys. But I didn’t dare to come out to my father. Surprisingly my mother told him and he just said that it was ok. But still my grandparents don’t know, because my parents refuse to talk to them. As we say I came out but my parents are still in the closet. Everyone says it’s open for gay people in Taiwan. But just
                A Brighter Summer Day

                A Brighter Summer Day

                Ryan cutting Tang Tang’s hair before going to work, New Taipei City, Taiwan, 2019 'You will meet someone who will change your life when you are 25. Be patient, and take much care of him! Don’t take things the way I did; all the sadness and horrible things you have encountered are to make yourself a better person now. Believe in yourself, be brave, then you will have a fairytale-like happy ending.' Tang Tang Tang Tang (left) and Ryan met at the KTV for a karaoke with their co-workers. That night Ryan had not wanted to go out, he had just lost his mother and was very depressed. Dragged there by his colleagues, he spent the evening crying in a corner, with Tang Tang trying to make him feel better. They have been together for 4 years now and they recently flew to Las Vegas to get married as it remained illegal in Taiwan. They respectively work as actor and hair dresser, and have to hide their relationship in order to keep certain costumers. Photo by Su Cassiano/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM
                  A Brighter Summer Day

                  A Brighter Summer Day

                  Tang Tang and Ryan's wedding rings, New Taipei City, Taiwan, 2019. These rings have been given by Tang Tang’s family to bless their union. Ryan : 'This year, we couldn’t wait anymore so we got married in Las Vegas. I was already out with my siblings but I called my extended family to tell them the news. But the aunt I’m the closest with and who helped raising me, my god mother, said 'This does not align with our traditions. How? How could I accept it?' I was really sad because all the other aunts were supportive, even my uncles, but not her. Maybe because I wasn’t expecting it, thinking that she would support me no matter what. But we got married nonetheless, just without her blessing. Later on Tang Tang came back first and brought something to her. When he did that, she congratulated us. So eventually, everyone accepted. And I am like, hey, I’m actually really lucky.' Ryan Photo by Su Cassiano/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM
                    A Brighter Summer Day

                    A Brighter Summer Day

                    Monlagine posing on her sofa, New Taipei City, Taiwan, 2019 ‘My parents didn’t know I’m gay. I’m a good actor! Be brave in life to make your own decisions. Fall in love with your courage. Be yourself and don’t regret what you have done.’ Monlagine/Johnny Johnny was one of the first drag queen in Taiwan. Costume designer by day, he makes his own clothes and tell stories to children while in drag. He sometimes faces aggressive behavior from the parents. When he's in drag he becomes Monlagine. Photo by Su Cassiano/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM
                      A Brighter Summer Day

                      A Brighter Summer Day

                      Maggie and Ching Yun in their bedroom, New Taipei City, Taiwan, 2019 ‘Those days when you were crying are not the doomsday. You have to believe you can live the way you like, can be in a healthy relationship. Thank you very much for your courage.’ Maggie Maggie (right) and Ching Yun have been together for two years, and moved together almost right after they met. Maggie works in the movie industry and is from Taichung. She had a girlfriend there and her family was shocked about it. Everybody got hurt. So Maggie left for Taipei, the big city, to be able to be herself. There’s a big gap between the Taipei bubble and other cities in Taiwan. She’s still in contact with her family but they never talked about her sexual orientation again. Even if Ching Yun looks boyish, her family still expects her to marry a man. They think her and Maggie are flatmates. Her mother doesn’t know but during the referendum about same sex marriage Chin Yun tried to persuade her to vote yes. She’s been waiting for the right timing to co