“I came out as gay in the year of 2014. As a queer child, I have seen enough and more bullying and abuse of all kinds. It was almost like a revolutionary moment for me to confront my sexuality and come to accept it as myself. But it never sailed well at home as you can imagine.

When it became too much to handle, I came out of the house to make a living for myself. I was half way through my masters in social work when the move happened. In the initial phases, it was hard to get through without any support. There were days when I wouldn’t be able to afford even a measly meal. And here is where my friends came to support me and I would always remain grateful for that.

On the way, makeup caught hold of me. I went ahead and did a course on it but this enchanting art form caught me in it’s grip and I began to experiment and learn along the way. Eventually I made a name for myself as a professional makeup artist; one that is completely out and open about his sexuality.

I would be lying if I told you that this didn’t affect my course of work. People continue to deny me work opportunities and I am often at the receiving end of many offensive comments. I also understand that makeup is often seen as a gendered role reserved for women and men are largely discouraged from taking it up as a profession. But, my journey has helped so many queer folks come out of their closet and live their true authentic selves. And I have been taking classes for a lot of cis-gender men who are interested in learning make-up. Hearing their stories propels me forward to continue doing my work regardless of my hurdles.

I currently identify as a member of the queer community and I am one the founder of @maghizhvan_foundation a community that works towards the rights of queer people. These days I see a lot of youngsters deciding to walk out straight at the sight of a slight squabble. But if my story should stand as any example, I would advise that education is far more important than independence. Education is the only hand that will save us from doom. One should focus on getting equipped financially and get some experience working before deciding to step out into the world. Most of the lessons I picked from life were given to me the hard way out. But I hope and pray that more and more of us members from the queer community come out to live a life that feels authentic to them.”