By Robert Ko
Growing up as an Asian queer man, I was actively aware of how the world perceived me—Asian first, queer second. I grew up culturally hearing the same familiar refrains passed down through generations: work hard, do not ask questions, stay in line, and you will succeed. I let my family know about my authentic self within the last five years, but there was still some held in guilt I had. As I began to feel more secure, attended therapy, and surrounded myself with my chosen family, I have allowed my more authentic self to shine through all the work that I do.
With a Filipino mother and Chinese father, both raised as a Catholic, there is a traditional mindset of what a family is. This mindset was ingrained in me and deterred me from coming out to my family for fear of not being accepted. It was never normalized in my family to talk about sexuality, and any hint of acting effeminate was highly discouraged. Being a man, specifically in an Asian culture, expressing emotions was not encouraged. I was filled with so much guilt and shame of being gay. When I told my mom about my authentic self, she made it clear that she loved me, but she feared how the world would treat me. She also feared how my dad would react. Traditionally in Chinese culture, there is a patriarchy, and my father was the head of the house. With the help of therapy, I finally gained the confidence to share my authentic self with him. He hugged me and said thank you and I love you. My family is now the most loving and accepting family to me and my partner.
Getting a job with Universal Creative at Universal Studios Hollywood was an amazing opportunity. Within the scope of my job, I work on creating design for a range of programs within the theme park and CityWalk. I find it fulfilling to see my designs enjoyed by the guests.
Reflecting on my personal story, I am proud to work alongside an eclectic group of creative individuals, yet I felt like I wanted to make an impact on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community. During the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, I participated in an open discussion on inclusion and world events that Universal hosted. The forum was attended by employees of all levels within the company who engaged in conversation about a variety of personal lived experiences that shaped us individuals. It was an enlightening and informative dialogue that made me realize how we may be able to support each other and all of our differences at work. Working within the Universal Creative team, I wanted to apply my personal insights to an inclusive guest experience and mentioned that I would like to see my community reflected in images or designs throughout guest facing areas. My team heard my suggestion and were able to incorporate into future designs.
Though I grew up in a culture where speaking up was not the norm, this taught me that the only way we will see positive change in the world is to have a voice and I continue to feel empowered to share my perspective and know that people will listen.
