Alex: I'm not practicing any religion, although I do believe in some sort of higher power. It does comfort you in moments of loneliness, despair. I did not have a sense that homosexuality was a sin. I never felt pressure to conform to a religious teaching.
Chien: Priests preach that it's a sin to be gay. I don't believe in preachers. I don't believe in the Bible. I doubt that God exists.
Anonymous: I'm not religious now because I'm willing and able to cope with my sexual identity. But while I was in the closet, my religion, Catholicism, from which I was raised, was very oppressive to my identity. It was very homophobic. In that sense it kept me closeted and perpetuated a lot of self-hatred while I was growing up.
Clayton: Now I'm looking into Taoism, and I find a lot of questions that I've had being answered. It's very fulfilling.
Armand: I am Buddhist. I used to be more devoted than I am these days. But like Buddha says or in the Sutra, "Buddha's everywhere." You don't have to look to a particular direction or be at a particular place or time.
Benny: I am Buddhist. But I guess I don't quite know much about Buddhism. However, I think living a gay life does not conflict with Buddhism. The important thing is not to hurt other people.
Tuan: I was raised Catholic, in a church, destined to be a priest. But I could not relate to the things that happened around me. Somehow because of my exposure to Catholicism and other religions, I've come to realize that I am part of the human race, and should deal with issues that I see some relevance. I don't practice any religion now.
Andy: I'm Catholic, although not a devoted Catholic. I don't go to church every Sunday. But I do have a strong sense of faith in God.
Michael: I believe in God, here in my heart. But I don't like the Roman Catholic Church because of what it stands for. They interpret the Bible very differently than how I interpret it for myself. I don't go to church anymore, but I still tell my mom 'yes, yes, every Sunday.' I pray though, every day.
What is the ideal society that you'd imagine?
Alex: A society that allows differences. People should respect other people's opinions, differences, views, and learn from one another.
Do you think it's a matter of being gay or becoming gay?
Anonymous: I think it's a matter of oppression, repression, and suppression of sexual identity. I don't know if I would use that term. Let's just call it identity because it reaches beyond sexuality. But no, it isn't a matter of me choosing to be gay or not. It's a matter of the heterosexual sexist society where a lot of gay people have to suppress their feelings.
Do you think in the future, the politics in America will improve so that gay people will have more rights?
Clayton: Well... yes. However, I think we need to fight for it. Just like the women's movement. Someone needs to take the first step. Someone needs to sacrifice. A lot of talented people who are gays and lesbians are not willing to take a stand on who they are. Some of them do have legitimate reasons or fear why they should or should not do it. Some just have an internal homophobia. I think if we could help ourselves and the people in our community solve some of those problems, the political side of it will come.
Is it at least understandable why people have disgust for homosexuality, namely the "unnatural" sexual act?
Clayton: I don't know who's there to judge or say that this is natural or this is not natural. I think humans are creative. If you're born a certain way, and if you can find pleasure in any shape or form to make you feel better, go for it. The only thing that's unnatural is killing someone, that's all.