Sunshine Coast local dentist, Phillip Nguyen, makes his debut at the first ever Mardi Gras Debutante Ball

A Queensland man who outed himself to his conservative, religious family over a blood donation has reflected on his parents’ learning curve about the LGBTQIA community as he makes his Mardi Gras debut.

Sunshine Coast local, Phillip Nguyen, recently made his debut at the first ever Mardi Gras Debutante Ball. Picture - Johnnie Walker.

Dressed to the nines in a dazzling bright blue suit, a South East Queensland dentist made his debut into the queer community at the first Mardi Gras Debutante Ball – a feat made possible by the support and love of his once conservative and unsure family.

Sunshine Coast dentist Phillip Nguyen, 26, attended the event on Thursday, February 22, in Sydney.

Growing up in a conservative household, Mr Nguyen has navigated the challenges of coming out and was thrilled to join Australia’s LGBTQIA community.

Hosted at the Kinselas in Darlinghurst, Mr Nguyen joined other first-timers for the Mardi Gras celebration.

After sharing his story to win tickets, Mr Nguyen was chosen for his brave and inspirational tale.

The ball, held for the first time this year, aims to be an inclusive space for all queer identities.

Sunshine Coast resident Phillip Nguyen made his debut at the first Mardi Gras Debutante Ball. Picture: Johnnie Walker.

“I’ve never experienced anything like it before,” Mr Nguyen said.

“It was the event of my dreams.

“It was all-inclusive and a celebration of different people and identities.”

Following his own tumultuous coming out journey, Mr Nguyen was intimidated by large LGBTQIA community events such as the Mardi Gras.

“Going to something like Mardi Gras can be daunting,” he said.

“Especially if you don’t know anyone else in the community.

“It (the ball) allowed first-timers to have that debut in a setting where you’re supported and welcomed.”

When asked about his own coming out story, Mr Nguyen said it was not all smiles, hugs and rainbows, as the movies make it out to be.

He hailed from a loving but conservative and religious Vietnamese-Australian family.

Phillip Nguyen has detailed his parents’ three-year learning curve about the LGBTQIA community. Picture: Johnnie Walker.

“I first came out to my parents when I was 16 years old. It was something I wasn’t ready to do yet,” he said.

“My family are really big blood donors. A lot of us work in the medical industry and growing up it was a value and normal to regularly donate blood every few months.

“When you donate you have to fill out a questionnaire. If you’re a gay man who had sex recently with another gay man, whether you use protection or no, it bars you from donating your blood.

“I didn’t want to lie about something so important at 16 my parents asked why I stopped donating blood and it sort of just came out.”

Put on the spot, young and unsure, Mr Nguyen blurted out his sexual identity then and there to his family.

“And then we just didn’t talk about it for three years,” he said.

“I came from a very conservative and religious family. It wasn’t this massive moment like we always see on TV. It was ‘oop I said it’ and they just pretended I didn’t say it.”

The close-knit family went a few years without saying anything.

Little did Mr Nguyen know his parents took the time to educate themselves, process what had happened and gather their love and support.

Sunshine Coast man Phillip Nguyen on the beach. Picture: Contributed.

“Randomly (three years later) when we were out one time we had this male waiter and my mum just asked if I thought he was cute,” Mr Nguyen said with a laugh.

“It was a huge shock to me but it was also like a turning point.

“Now they’re fully supportive and support me and my queerness.”

Reflecting on his own journey, Mr Nguyen said he felt grateful to be out at his age.

“At the ball there was this massive community with so many different kinds of people from all over Australia and of all ages,” he said.

“Not just younger people like me but also so many middle-aged and older people who came out that night to the queer community and were experiencing Mardi Gras for the first time ever as an older person.

“It was amazing meeting these people and hearing their stories. No story is the same.”

Phillip Nguyen walks the red carpet at the first Mardi Gras Debutante Ball. Picture: Johnnie Walker.

Mr Nguyen shared his most earnest advice for young queer Queenslanders struggling with their own coming out.

“When I was younger and first came out I got quite angry with my family but now I’m older and more mature I understand their point of view. It’s a huge thing considering their background,” he said.

“Your family is there to love and support you.

“I always say they will come around eventually and through it all they love you.

“You’ve got to be a bit patient.

“When it finally happened for me it was all worth it.

“Looking back on it the change in my parents makes it even more special and loving and makes me even more grateful.”