Thomas Diamanty

Thomas Diamanty

A Brief Inquiry into "Coming Out"

2019

doors, pink/purple/white sequins, spray adhesive, glue, permanent marker

79" x 30" x 5"

Coming Out is such a charged term. I've found liberation in it.

But still, it remains a complicated issue.

To exist is to be radical. To be flamboyant and campy and fucking G A Y is political and deserves to exist in spaces. This is my experience of reflecting on my own coming out experience and how I have changed – evolved, really.

When first dipping my toes into the queerness of it all, I was very fortunate to have supportive friends encouraging me. Pushing me out of my then comfort zone. When my friend Ryan starting using the word 'Faggot' (hell yeah capital F) it was, in all honesty, appalling. I felt naked and vulnerable. But instead of running (like most of us do in these situations, like I always did in those situations)

I listened.

For the first time, I was exposed to this idea of reclaiming a word.

A very powerful word. A very ugly word. A word that had power over me.

Using this word with my queer friends felt empowering to me. When others try to use that word against me, it means nothing. Taking the power back felt like growth.

This empowerment is what I wanted to represent in these doors.

The act of writing 'fag' so very many times became monotonous. A word that previously would make me shudder or internally cower now meant nothing. By the end of my canvas, I wasn't even writing. My arm was gesturing letterforms that had no influence over me. Reclaiming words like these allow people to walk down the street with confidence, sometimes for the first time in their lives.