Michael Allsop grew up in Belfast with a Catholic background and says words like ‘queer’ and ‘gay’ were considered dirty at the time.
The 24-year-old creative, now based in London, has since unlearned the internalised homophobia he experienced in his childhood.
And to mark how far he has come, Michael took part in a Durex condom campaign featuring a stunning photograph of him with his real-life partner Sean Somal.
The pictures in the campaign were shared with the tagline ‘Challenge the norms’ and also included 75 images covering all ethnicities, orientations, body types, shapes, and sizes as picked by the Kintzing agency.
Michael was so happy with the images, he re-created them with Sean and took to Instagram to write a poignant tribute to the 12-year-old version of himself who needed to see pictures like these.
He wrote: ‘At around 17 years old I took a vow that as I grew older I would be the queer that I needed to see when I was 12 years old. That 12-year-old boy who was really struggling and couldn’t see a way out.
‘And here I am with my love Sean on a billboard celebrating love and sex and being real.’
‘Feeling very proud of myself and I hope someone who is struggling sees this post or the ad and it helps them to hold on and fight for a brighter future.’
Michael was delighted to share the images with his followers. We spoke to him about what the opportunity meant to him.
He explained to Metro.co.uk: ‘The feeling upon seeing the billboard was like a rush of ecstatic joy. I felt so proud – and to be able to share that with my partner Sean was so special.
‘On the lead up to the first billboard, I could barely sit still. I got a rush of heat from inside that can only be described as cheerful glee!’
Michael is no stranger to harassment and earlier this year he received hurtful comments about his sexuality, which is why he thinks it’s so important to normalise LGBTQ+ lives around us.
He also has a message for those who may have been in the position he was in his childhood.
‘I want young people who are struggling or anyone who is struggling with their sexuality or identity to see the billboard and hold on. Oftentimes I found myself leaning to the It Gets Better Project project on YouTube to get through hard times as a teen – I’m hoping that this can be part of that for someone else.
‘I have been so low before that I almost didn’t see any reason to keep going – but I want to remind people that there is always a reason to hold on. Love will always win and all love is love!’
Very true.
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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/03/02/queer-man-seeing-durex-says-needed-see-12-12333150/?ITO=squid
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