“My Queerness Preceded Me” : A Conversation with Jonathan Hyman -

Growing up queer isn’t always a smooth train ride home, it’s a journey full of moments we try to make sense of long before we have the words. For Jonathan Hyman, a 21-year-old from the South Bronx, queerness was always present, even if it took time to name it.

In this interview, Jonathan opens up about growing up in a Catholic, Hispanic household, confronting internalized shame, and the power of finding people who let you just be. His story is raw, familiar, and deeply affirming.

Meet Jonathan:

Age: 21

Neighborhood, Borough: Mott Haven, South Bronx – born and raised, never moved

Describe your childhood in five words.

Innocent, Idyllic, Rough, Confusing, Catholic.

That list alone tells you a lot. Jonathan grew up in a tight-knit neighborhood where tradition and masculinity often walked hand-in-hand. Navigating queerness in that space was… complicated.

When did you first realize you were queer?

"My first introduction to the idea of queerness was in elementary school. I was expressive, and people said I talked 'like a girl.' I didn’t get it then, but it made more sense later.

The moment I really realized I was queer was in 8th grade. A new boy came to class and I just thought, ‘Oh! He seems… cool.’ But looking back, it wasn’t admiration—it was attraction. That realization started a long fight with myself to understand who I was."

What was that realization like?

"It opened up a storm of thoughts. 'I’m Catholic—I can’t be gay.' Or 'What will my family think of me?' I didn’t know who to talk to. I was alone with it for a while."

Did you have a support system?

"Not at first. My parents raised me to ‘have my own back,’ and I leaned into that for a long time. Eventually, I found other queer people and had the space to finally process it all."

What obstacles have you faced being queer?

"The biggest one was growing up in a Hispanic household where masculinity is everything. I’ve always had feminine mannerisms, and I was constantly told things like ‘Talk like a man’ or ‘Seas un hombre.’

I built up a front—one that was exhausting to keep up—just so I wouldn’t be perceived as gay. But here’s the thing: even when I hid it, people always knew. My queerness preceded me."

What helped you through your journey?

"The people who let me drop the act. The ones who made space for me to be myself without judgment. I’m so thankful for them."

Why Stories Like Jonathan’s Matter

Jonathan’s journey is one so many of us know intimately—the fear, the shame, the coded language, and the slow climb toward self-love. His story reminds us how powerful it is to be seen and how healing it can be to simply exist without apology.

Whether you're out, questioning, or somewhere in between, let this be a reminder: your queerness is valid.