30 | OutBoise Magazine | NEWS
Genuine Identity
Genuine Identity
By Kurt Perez
Who are you, really?
Throughout the holidays, I ponder
what we give when we hand our loved
ones presents. A sincere present is an extension of your love for that person. A
material object is just the vehicle in which
it is expressed.
Contrarily, those who give or expect
presents with superficial intentions aim to
inflate egos, not hearts. In relationships, it
is prevalent to create an identity that is
not genuine. We build masks that hide
our true self. We put up a façade, losing
the opportunity to put in effort that a relationship entails through personal
growth. This is expressed subtly through
various ways: making you older or
younger, taller or shorter, heavier or skinnier.
In February, we are filled with the excitement of expressing love and romance.
If you are single, the pangs of solitude
may urge you to seek a partner. If in a
relationship, Valentine’s Day is an opportunity to display emotions and your appreciation through gifts or a nice dinner.
OutBoise.com | Issue 4.2 | February 2015
The materialistic aspect of your relationship becomes highlighted during this
time of the month and so does your identity. As you are sitting at the table at dinner or enjoying a movie with your
partner, does your partner truly know
you? Have you vastly exaggerated your
flaws and virtues? Have you created a
mask or have you presented your genuine identity?
Presenting your genuine identity lies
primarily in acceptance. Acceptance of
who we are is usually sought outwardly.
As we encounter different people in our
lives, we begin to adapt to what people
consider socially acceptable. The history
of the LGBT community across the globe
shows the antagonistic speculations made
by those who do not understand our sexual orientation. According to the American Psychological Association, sexual
orientation “refers to the sex of those to
whom one is sexually and romantically
attracted.”
This has been stigmatized as morally
and even divinely wrong if you are LGBT.
The constant discrimination in LGBT history reverberates till this very day. Peo H