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<p><span>Poised, articulate, and self-possessed, Taki Shimada is someone you don&rsquo;t want to mess with. She commands a room without ever raising her voice. But don&rsquo;t mistake her calm for submission because finding her center took a lifetime to build.</span></p>
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<p><span>If other kids were studying primary colors in school, Taki, at the tender age of five, already knew she emitted a different aura from her classmates. &ldquo;I already knew I was trans,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;You don&rsquo;t even become it. You are it. People often ask, &lsquo;When did you decide to be a trans woman?&rsquo; You don&rsquo;t get to decide. You were born as one. If people only knew the struggle we face as trans women, I don&rsquo;t think anyone would choose to be one.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p><span>Growing up, she knew no gay person. On TV, queer male characters were flattened into a single identity: </span><span>bakla</span><span>. &ldquo;I couldn&rsquo;t connect with them because I didn&rsquo;t see myself as a gay man. I&rsquo;ve always related with women.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p><span>She explains, &ldquo;That&rsquo;s why SOGIE is important because up to now, even people from the LGBTQ+ community do not know that sexual orientation is different from gender identity and the way you express yourself. We&rsquo;re still in the process of educating people.&rdquo;</span></p>
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<p><span>"You don&rsquo;t even become it. You are it. People often ask, &lsquo;When did you decide to be a trans woman?&rsquo; You don&rsquo;t get to decide. You were born as one. If people only knew the struggle we face as trans women, I don&rsquo;t think anyone would choose to be one."</span></p>
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<p><span>Experience taught her that education should start at home. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m grateful my mom got to a point in her life when she felt like, &lsquo;You know what? I&rsquo;m going to learn.&rsquo;&rdquo; Sometimes, the hardest lessons are for those closest to us.</span></p>
<p><span>Taki used to suppress her softness because the outside world told her to toughen up. But softness has now become her strength. It has enabled her to advocate for diversity without bitterness. &ldquo;Exposure to diversity is important because our brain typically thinks in a binary way. It&rsquo;s either right or wrong. This or that. Left and right. But there are so many things in between.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p><strong>What&rsquo;s your favorite song to celebrate Pride? (aka your lip sync for life)</strong></p>
<p><span>It&rsquo;s not really a song about pride, but </span><span>Baby Boy </span><span>by Beyoncé just gets me every time. I&rsquo;m feeling my oats! Sexy. Powerful. Divine Feminine!</span></p>
<p><strong>What makes you feel seen? What does safety look like for you in queer terms &mdash; not just physical safety, but emotional, romantic, creative safety?</strong></p>
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<p><span>I feel seen whenever my talents and efforts are appreciated. Most especially when they see me past my gender identity because I am way more than that. Safety is security. To be able to move around freely, away from constant scrutiny, and have the freedom to express your true self without the fear of retaliation.</span></p>
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<p><strong>Can you share some acts of affirmation that boost your sense of Pride?</strong></p>
<p><span>I&rsquo;ve been modelling since 2018. Whenever LGBTQ+ aspirants attend these castings and get asked who inspired them to pursue this career, most of them would utter my name. It&rsquo;s heartwarming. It makes me feel like I must be doing something right. I have become the inspiration that I didn&rsquo;t have as a child.</span></p>
<p><strong>What&rsquo;s one thing you no longer shrink for?</strong></p>
<p><span>Validation and/from spaces where I have to diminish myself to be accepted.</span></p>
<p><strong>How are you celebrating Pride this year?</strong></p>
<p><span>I am going to CHURCH&rsquo;s anniversary with friends! If you don&rsquo;t know, CHURCH is a safe haven created by my queer friends for our queer folks! A home that welcomes everybody. A sanctuary for all kinds of expression. It only happens once a month, and I hope more people get to experience it.</span></p>
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Taki Shimada: Voice of Pride, Vessel of Power

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Taki Shimada: Voice of Pride, Vessel of Power

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