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Arozak Salam’s memoir tells of his personal sacrifice and sheer will to stay true to himself, no matter what. Hailing from Indonesia, Arozak’s dream was to find a place where he could be free to live authentically and fearlessly as a gay man.
Fate and relentless grinding brought him to Australia, a seemingly magical place with endless opportunity. But Arozak quickly learns that every rose has its thorns, and the price for pursuing his dreams is far greater than he imagined. This is the story of a young man with big aspirations who won’t accept the status quo, prejudice, homophobia, and apathy he faces daily in his quest for freedom and love.
‘At the beginning of the march, I started healing from the oppression of being gay I had experienced back in Indonesia. I walked proudly, remembering how far I had come. I marched to remember the moment I chose to be a Pink Power Ranger…[and] how I got my first girlfriend in junior school so my friends would not call me a faggot…[and how I joined] an Islamic youth organisation at high school, hoping I would be cured. I marched to remember that after graduating, I had to find my own path instead of marrying a woman like my peers.’
Arozak Salam is an engineer by trade, as well as a former Australian navy officer, performer and singer. He immigrated to Australia in 2011 and lived briefly in Melbourne before relocating to Perth. After becoming an Australian citizen, Arozak moved to Europe but eventually returned to Australia, this time New South Wales. Arozak has performed as his unicorn alter-ego at Australian and international shows and events, and was a competitor in the Mr Gay World 2014 pageant. He continues to push boundaries as a performer, singer and queer POC.
Author: Arozak Salam
Paperback Published 1 September 2023 234 pages