Tadd Fujikawa, the first openly gay
male professional golfer, has called on gay Asians to come out.
The 29-year-old came out gay in a 2018
Instagram post.
Fujikawa, who grew up in Honolulu, said
in an Instagram post on Sunday that visibility is needed to change
hearts and minds in the Asian community.
“There's such a stigma about being
gay in Asian families,” he
captioned a photo of himself. “For a lot of us, it's really
looked down upon. It's probably one of the worst things we could be.
I'm sure it's similar in many cultures.”
“But being gay makes us viewed as we
are 'lesser.' In most Asian families, especially as a man, you DO NOT
bring shame or embarrassment [to the family]. You're expected to
bring honor to the family. You're expected to be 'masculine' and
strong.”
LGBT representation “is so important
to change perspectives and beliefs on sexuality in our culture.”
“While it may not immediately change
how 'traditional' families view homosexuality, over time we have the
ability to change the lives of so many LGBTQ+ people/youth just by
being visible.”
“I'm proud to be gay. And I'm proud
to be Asian. I hope other openly gay Asians like myself can be an
inspiration for others to live authentically.”
Fujikawa, who in 2006 became the
youngest golfer to qualify for the U.S. Open, added that people
should only come out when they feel it is safe.