Chapter 17

“The more people you tell, the more I and my family and my family’s company are at risk of being placed in a bad light and being judged by everyone negatively. My family’s company has contracts with governments in the Gulf. Many won’t contract with a woman. To them, I’m an abomination if they were to learn I’m gay. I wish things were different. My parents want nothing more than for me to take over the company. They cultivated this image that I’m an eligible heterosexual. It’s still considered shameful for many Filipinos to be gay. We’re caricatures on TV and movies. We’re tolerated, but not completely accepted even though they’ve tried to change it by prohibiting discrimination in housing, and all. But it’s still not okay to be openly gay, or to flaunt it. Like what Tiny is doing. At least not in the circles my family is in.”

“And your parents feel this way?” Adam asked.

“Yes, they’re very conservative when it comes to this.”