I was constantly reminded of cultural traditions and expectations. There was this unspoken pressure to be a “perfect” daughter, someone who would grow up to marry a man, uphold family values, and follow the path set by my parents. My Queerness didn’t fit into this. It was really hard to embrace my culture, which discourages being Queer, or picking who I truly was, something I could not change about myself.
It was like living in two worlds, one where I was expected to live according to societal norms, and another where my true self was waiting to live judgment-free. This lack of affirmation only made me struggle more with my mental health. Without guidance or safety provided by people around me, I searched for validation from people online.



