Visibility is crucial when it comes to the identities and narratives of those in the queer/trans community. We are unfortunately still subject to consistent invalidation and erasure on a daily basis; whether it be from society, or within the walls of our very own homes. With cultural, traditional, and religious factors at play, these issues become distinctively more complex and layered, especially for people of color within the QT community. To fight this erasure, I am starting this QT Community Profiles project, in which I will photograph and highlight the stories of members of our community here at Berkeley.
Taking time to reflect on these issues and seek solutions is extremely important. However, so is acknowledging the positive aspects of our identities. To divert the focus from the long list of challenges that comes with one’s QTPOC identity, I asked each subject a question that is usually not asked: What is the most magical part about being QTPOC?
The difficulty community members had in answering this question demonstrates how despite our long fight for affirmation of our identities, many of us still struggle to find our own happiness and a positive relationship with being QTPOC. In posing this question, I asked the community members photographed to actively appreciate themselves. Their answers demonstrate the diversity of individual experiences within our communities.
I chose (and will continue to choose) to center and celebrate QTPOC narratives in these community profile to break the cycle of oppressive silencing. This will be the first of an ongoing series that will feature voices in the QT community. The quest to find the magic within ourselves goes beyond this series. Being able to voice our strengths as QTPOC is magic in itself— Our empowerment is our defense.
What is the most magical part about being QTPOC? Photographs by Loella Disto
CHEYENNE TEX Pronouns: She/Her They/Them
“I feel very liberated being able to walk around in the world as a QTPOC. I find it powerful for me to recognize the fluidity within my being and live beyond the binaries society often tries to place on us concerning gender or sexuality. I find liberation in knowing I can have love for anyone in the world and not see their gender as a constraint to feeling that love. I feel able to express myself freely in terms of my gender and sexuality because those things are never static. Being queer allows me to enjoy life beyond the bounds of gender and to be my most authentic self.”
CHI LE Pronouns: She/Her They/Them
“Being queer, it’s especially easy to be unsure about where you stand in the world and to worry about how you may be perceived by the people around you. It wasn’t until college and being around Berkeley that I learned identity is not black- and-white. It is incredibly complex, and it is something that should be celebrated. The best part of being QTPOC, to me, is the love I have been surrounded by, and the people I have met. Although it is important for me to be confident in my own identity, knowing I am accepted and that my feelings are valid is a feeling unparalleled. Without these supportive individuals in the QTPOC community, my identity would have remained fragile.”
DEN PAUL CORTEZ Pronouns: He/Him/His
“The most magical part about being a bisexual Filipinx was discovering power within myself as I came to my own. My experiences in Berkeley have allowed me to unravel years of internalized homophobia and ethnophobia, the result of having been brought up in a traditional Filipinx household and my conservative upbringing in Texas. I find strength as I work through my own experiences, and I’ve began to embrace the features of my ancestors. Meeting other queer Filipinx’s have been crucial to my coming of age and self-acceptance. It has been a beautiful journey to shy from social constructs, for example, taking time last semester to explore the fluidity in my gender. I have learned to view all aspects of life, beyond my queerness, in spectrums. It is magical being able to live in the grey.”
JO ALVARADO Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
“The best part about accepting my identity as a bisexual Filipino is that, despite everything–all the struggles, stigmas, and erasure– I’m living my truth. I’m living a life full of love and passion and culture. But I am not only living for myself, I’m living and LOVING for the generations before me, for the generations that follow, and for the others like me now. I am me. And to be comfortable with oneself is to love one’s identity. That’s the most magical thing in the world.”
MANDUHAI BAATAR Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
“Being openly queer/bisexual has given me the freedom to find who I am while also being comfortable with not knowing who I am. I have the freedom to explore my sexuality and the opportunity to find out more about my identity away from the constraints of my hometown and family. The community at Cal is incredibly supportive and empowering— I feel validated and seen in my sexual identity and as an individual. I think college allows you to grow into the person you’re supposed to be, and a large part of that is finding who you are and what you want. Having Berkeley’s QTPOC community gives me the space and support to do that.”
