August and Everything After

Episode #312: August grew up in a loving household in Taunggyi, albeit one steeped in conservative values and connected to the military. But as he matured, his worldview began to diverge from his family’s, especially after he attended a pre-collegiate program where he heard firsthand stories of the military's brutality against ethnic minorities. These accounts shattered the narrative he had grown up with, creating a rift between him and his family, particularly his grandfather, who had once been involved in suppressing protests.

August also faced challenges regarding his sexuality. Coming out as gay deepened the distance between him and his family, though his mother eventually showed signs of acceptance. This tension came to a head during the February 2021 military coup. August’s mother downplayed the coup, urging patience, but August felt an urgency to act. He joined student protests, which led to his expulsion from school, and ultimately, to his leaving home.

The risks of staying in Myanmar grew, with threats from the military and sexual harassment from a civil society supervisor forcing August to flee to Thailand in November, 2022. In Chiang Mai, he found a supportive community of like-minded exiles. He organizes protests, used art as a form of activism, and remains committed to the resistance. Despite the struggles, August’s story is one of resilience, community, and an unyielding hope for a free Myanmar.

Reflecting on his journey and the state of the resistance, August says, “We take some time to take a rest, to take a break, and we regenerate, re-energize, and come back to support again and again. You get burned out because you are putting a lot of yourself out. It's like a vicious cycle [for us].” However, he is still filled with optimism that they will eventually preserve. “What I am proud the most is because of our work, we could wake the emotions so that we can be part of the revolution again.”