@InsideOutTO – Do The Daniel

September 30, 2020September 30, 2020

Inside Out and Upside Down

The more I think about 2020, the more I realize the importance of finding inspiration and joy in the sings. A meal with a friend (safely at a distance) that I haven’t seen in a long time. A walk with Canela in the park to soak up the colours of the season. A workout for me because I deserve the time for myself. And of course the arts and film, which have always been such a source of emotional catharsis for me.

May 31, 2019May 31, 2019

Something To Be Proud Of

With Pride and #PrideMonth literally around the corner, I have come to realize that at thirty five years old, I’ve got some pretty incredible things to be proud of in my life. Being a gay man in 2019 may seem to some as glamorous, but if I’m being perfectly honest, the world still has a lot of growing up to do. I get a bit more into detail in my recent post about #InsideOut19, which funny enough was the press conference that I attended which quite literally brought me to tears.

May 25, 2019May 28, 2019

There’s Still A Lot to Do

It was earlier this year as I began another campaign with the blog for a brand that we had worked with a few times over the year. At the time, I hadn’t decided to put down the proverbial torch I had been carrying on my own for the blog to begin looking for a new career. It was still my all, my everything, and for the most part the only thing that was keeping me afloat. Faced with finding a way to showcase happiness, I made myself presentable, set up the product in my kitchen and shot the campaign photos and video.

I was happy with the results and thought I even looked good in the photos (something I don’t often say about myself while I work on being a healthier version of myself physically, emotionally, and mentally). When the campaign went live, I could never have imagined the amount of hateful and abusive comments I would get online about being a gay man. The campaign went viral, but in the wrong way. The sad part is that it’s not the first time strangers have wished me dead, told me I was evil, and chastised me on the internet just for being myself and doing what I love. Although it is 2019, the fact remains that there’s still a LOT to do.