Deo Cabrera: breaking barriers through fashion

In a world that often seems more inclined to judge than understand, people who are considered different struggle to find a place where they feel safe and accepted. Despite this, Deo Cabrera stands out for expressing himself through fashion, armed with the courage to be authentic. Dressed in crop tops, tight dresses and skirts, he has amassed over 134,000 followers on TikTok, who adore his iconic OOTDs.

Discovering his true identity

“Am I gay?” That was the first thing Deo searched for online when he realized he had feelings for a classmate in high school. As confusing as it was to most people, he wanted to find answers and ended up diving into the black hole of “coming out stories” on Google and YouTube.

Confronting harassment and discrimination

Growing up, Deo was the target of constant bullying. He attended an all-boys school from high school to tenth grade and was often the victim of fragile egos and toxic masculinity. His experience was unpleasant, to say the least. He was often called “Bakla (Gay)” and “Barbie,” and his schoolmates kept their distance from him, so he barely had any friends back then.

Thailand passes Southeast Asia’s first gay marriage law

Homophobic perceptions even threatened to affect his education: acting feminine was considered bad behaviour and he was nearly expelled for having a boyfriend. When his parents and the entire school found out, the stress pushed Deo to question his identity: “What if I was straight?”

Overcoming the challenges

Realizing how harsh the world can be, he joined communities and spaces where he could freely express himself. He found friends with other queer students at his school, where he was exposed to more queer culture: Pride marches and drag queens, among others. Much more than that, they found a support system in each other where they would talk about the bullying they faced from their peers and the school administration, which of course helped them process their feelings towards their traumatic experiences. Deo also started watching YouTube videos from creators like Tyler Oakley, Troye Sivan, and Joey Graceffa, which he resonated with.

“The joy I get from expressing myself freely through clothing outweighs any hate I might receive,” she stresses.

Claiming your gender expression

Deo also denounces schools and individuals who feature men dressed as “girls” for laughs. She believes that making this type of what they would call a joke or a theme reinforces the idea that men who wear dresses, crop tops, skirts and heels are doing it simply for the joke, which is wrong: “My gender expression and my existence is not a joke.”

Realizing how harsh the world can be, she joined communities and spaces where she could express herself freely.

Deo Cabrera’s story is a testament to courage and self-acceptance in a world that often marginalizes difference. Her ability to overcome challenges and find happiness through fashion is an inspiration to many.