This is Aaron’s Story
OWN YOUR STORY – Model Aaron Cho Share His Inspiring Journey of Overcoming Personal Hardships, Breaking Cultural Barriers, and Embracing Vulnerability “I’m now owning my story by wearing the dress that the 6 year old me was told he was not allowed to wear.”
The background
– I’ve known I was gay since I was a kid; there was a batman toy that I was always strangely attracted to – I always knew I was a little different than the other kids; instead of playing soccer at recess, , I used to
want to play with dolls
– I remember my cousin used to have this sailor moon dress that I always wanted to put on
– I was always told that I was not allowed to wear the dress, because boys don’t wear dresses and the
kids at school would make fun of me
– So, I did what any 6 year old would do – I listened to what I was told and suppressed any future thought
of wearing a dress –
The struggle
It wasn’t until I was 14-15 when I started to come to terms with my sexuality. I’m not going to lie – it was rough. I was on this constant emotional rollercoaster. I started off by trying to convince myself that I wasn’t gay, and that my attraction to guys was something that was temporary
After three hard years of internal turmoil, I finally came out to my friends and family. To my surprise, I was so fortunate to be not only tolerated, but also embraced during the process. I consider myself extremely lucky, as I know many of my queer friends did not receive the same support during their “coming out”. Some of them had to move out, and don’t speak to their parents, even to this day
Since coming out, another challenge I’ve had to deal with is the desexualization of Asian men in the west.
Where I am now
I spent my entire childhood and youth feeling like I was different than the other kids, and not really fitting in. As a result of this, I have a very deeply rooted sense of empathy for the struggles of others.
I feel like I have a responsibility to advocate and support others from different marginalized communities.
A few specific ways I have done this:
– Advocated for and volunteered with the Indigenous populations of Canada
– Leading LGBTQ+ organizations, including the EUROUT LGBTQ+ conference based out of LBS
– Actively take part in the LGBTQ+ affinity group of the different companies I work at
– More recently, using my social media as a platform to advocate for gender inclusivity and
freedom to wear whatever clothes one desires and chooses
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