The story of a “different” boy

"When I was in primary school, I had dropped some glitter during art class on my desk. Without thinking much of it, I put it on my finger and painted around my eyes. Later that day, I regretted this."

Ever since he was a child, A.* was continuously reminded that he looked different - that boys should appear more masculine and that this should be expressed through the way they act and dress. Very soon in his life, he understood the cost of being or looking “different”. He experienced violence at home, at school and in the streets. “Even doing the daily grocery shopping was a struggle,” he confides years later, after arriving on Lesvos island in Greece, where he has received international protection as a refugee.

Like thousands of LGBTIQ+ people who experience violence, discrimination and persecution in their countries of origin, A. lived in fear and survived extreme forms of violence. "Greece did something very important for me. I am now walking around freely. I am slowly trying to shed the fear that used to follow me every day," he says.

Gradually, A. was able to regain a sense of normalcy in his life in Lesvos, with the support of people and organizations that stood by his side, but also through the strength he always found in painting.

"When I started my journey, it was out of desperation. I knew how difficult it would be. But freedom is the most valuable thing we have, and we need to fight for it," he explains.

"The first thing I painted when I arrived in Lesvos was the feeling I experienced on my journey. I arrived at night, and it was all dark. The sea was rough when I landed and all I could see were dark hills on the horizon that looked like waves. As soon as I got off the boat, I had to climb up through the trees and got my hands bleeding. But then I looked up, and I saw colours from the stars in the sky. I felt like I could see the whole universe. And I knew I had reached somewhere beautiful."

A. is now making plans for the future. He hopes to complete the master's degree he had started at a technical school before he was forced to leave his country, and to pursue his dream of becoming an artist.

"I want to tell everyone who is going through similar situations: don’t give up. Fight for your right to safety and freedom, even if the road is long and full of challenges."

*Name changed for protection reasons.