Dr Patrick Thomsens work really made me understand how much of who we are translates into our work. Whether that be figuring out parts ourselves, or through projecting what we want to understand – then ultimately finding/discovering something that was much bigger than we could’ve ever anticipated.
I’ve always found it difficult to properly contextualize the possibility of multiculturalism. What Thomsen made easier to understand was that your culture is a part of you, you feed it sometimes through culturally incentive behaviors and attitudes, morals and values.
Then creating works that you can identify with, within your inherited culture, (and one you can adopt) can help demystify this overhead cultural dictatorship preamble.
Culture has always seemed like a dictatorship because you either play into stereotypes, whether they be legitimate or not, or you go against the grain – in which it was understood there would be a need to repent. But Thomsen showed that as a gay man, he breaks a lot of stereotypes yet he is still inherently linked to his ancestry. That who he is as a Samoan will not be put under scrutiny, because who he is more than his traditional history, he is who he is naturally, and that’s the biggest respect anyone could ever give to their culture. Showing that culture isn’t this static notion, culture can be adaptable and fluid, as that is what will strengthen and be the best test of time.
As could be interpreted through the conclusions of Thomsens work, if there was to be revitalization of gay Korean men in the South Korean community.
