One who can bring light to situations, one who can stay true to himself, one who can block out the haters. These are all things that describe Kewon. I had the chance to interview this phenomenal young man on his experiences being in the LGBTQ community. While also being a black man, it can be hard to find your place in the world, but Kewon stays confident no matter what.
From a young age, he had some suspicions of his sexuality. As a nine-year-old beginning his journey, he wasn’t 100% sure, but there was always something in his heart manifesting. Mainly resulting from exposure to social media and seeing those who didn’t necessarily fit inside a box. Kewon says, “It all started after I really kinda saw me, saw people who looked like me, and acted the same way I acted.” Of course, he had his occasional girl crush, and his feelings started to make sense to him after noticing the different mannerisms he had and taking a new liking to boys.
Coming out wasn’t hard for Kewon; his parents accepted him. However, he has had his struggles in the community. Growing up, people would treat him differently based on how he presented himself, and they didn’t see him as normal. The way he carried himself made others exclude him and criticize him overall. On top of that, being black made it even more challenging. Unlike some of his counterparts, Kewon lived in a place that didn’t really allow him to be gay. He feels toxic masculinity thrives throughout the black community, so it was a strict place to be in.
To Kewon, his sexuality means being strong and something that can’t be defined in an exact term. Not many individuals can manage the stuff he has to go through daily. Kewon shares, “It gets hard sometimes, but we still keep going because it’s who we are, and we have to deal with it.” For those struggling with their own sexualities, he suggests not to let anyone take advantage of you. Nowadays people don’t always have the best intentions, and being young; it’s easy to be groomed without even knowing it. His main message is to be careful; if you need to take your time, it’s okay! If you feel like you need to wait till you’re older to truly determine what you are, there’s nothing wrong with that. If you’re stuck in a bad place, Kewon believes that things do get better.
To wrap it up, Kewon is a person we should all aspire to be like. He roots for himself, he roots for others, and he roots for his community. As he has shaped into the man he is today, he can confidently say, “The rain is going to end one day. It doesn’t rain forever.”