Dr Vincent Wong - COMING OUT

I grew up in Johor Bahru, Malaysia with my parents, elder sister and younger brother. I had no idea how much my relationships with them would affect my adult life as it is now, involving heartbreak, debt and trauma.  I knew I was gay from around the age of 11 - I found that all the people I looked up to and respected and found interesting were men. I went to an all boys school and found a group of friends who seem to think similarly to me, but no one ever said anything as in Malaysia homosexuality is still illegal. I grew up hearing horror stories about being gay, that you will be punished by horrible illnesses or there is something mentally wrong with you that needs to be fixed. 

Dr Vincent Wong, Vindoc Aesthetics, said: "Coming out helps develop a new layer to your personality, mentality and behaviour. When I came out, even though it was difficult, I felt like a weight had been lifted off my chest. Despite family dramas, I felt proud of myself for channeling the courage and power to live my life without guilt and be my truest self. 

"It has been a long journey of self-discovery, knowing your worth and self-love, and I’m still on that journey. Coming out is extremely complicated and delicate, with potentially major negative consequences for some. There is no such thing as a “good”, “right” or “perfect” time to come out, but firstly, you have to be sure that you are ready within yourself to do it. I believe everyone should come out for now, but hopefully, the day will come when all sexualities and all gender preferences are seen as normal, and we are just accepted for the person we are.We don’t see heterosexuals coming out as straight, so the idea of having to come out is still a strange one."