A series of personal stories from trans, LGBTQ+, and sex workers

The “Right Side” human rights NGO continues to present a series of stories of Trans LGBTQ+ and sex workers, through which various events in the lives of Trans LGBTQ+ and sex workers are collected and recorded. The aim of the interviews is to present the lifestyle of representatives of the above-mentioned group in the Republic of Armenia.

This story is about self-discovery. Our interlocutor is a homosexual, agender A.B. Family solidarity was extremely important to A.B., and he did everything so that conflicts would not arise if he found out about his identity.

-Many people around me know about my sexual orientation. I mean my family, my friends and relatives, my friends and acquaintances, as well as my fellow villagers (I live in a village near Yerevan). And everyone is still around me. Why do I care to mention this, because everyone treats me adequately and everything is normal in my relationship with the mentioned people. Well, it is already clear that I have publicly self-exposed. But there are a few that are extremely important to me.

Many people know that I was in Shurnukh, where a mob attacked us and started using violence against us. When I finally got home after the Shurnukh events, everything was already clear to my family. I was lying down, and my mother came up to me and said: “Okay, I will try to give you time.” In those days, I was in such a difficult psychological state that I could not even continue my work in an organization dealing with the rights of LGBT+ people.

However, that statement made by my mother hit me hard, because I also realized that my mother understands and knows everything about my identity. When my mother was sitting outside, I approached her and, sitting next to her, told her that I was gay. My mother hugged me, said that she had already understood everything, but that did not prevent her from being proud of me. Moreover, she gave me some advice that I should be proud of who I am, how many achievements I have, etc., - our interlocutor presents and continues that after that day a perfect friendship and a warmer relationship were formed between him and his mother. - From that moment on, I realized that I have the best mother in the world, who is perfect for me.

A. B. continues to present his relationship with his mother and emphasizes that everything could not have ended so well if he had not worked with the parents for years. He says that they have repeatedly watched films together that tell about LGBT+ people, had discussions, listened to each other, freely expressed their opinions, etc. He continues to talk about his mother's experiences when it seemed that she was the only mother in the world who has a homosexual son. However, that issue also found its solution when he met the parents of LGBT+ people.

-This story could last a very long time, because my mother and I's relationship does not begin and end with this story, every day is a story, but for me it is one of the most important that has happened in my life, - sums up our interlocutor.