WORDS: DAREN PRITCHARD // PHOTOGRAPHY: MARKUS BIDAUX
’ve had body issues since I was in my early teens, and am now 25. I was bullied for my sexuality and had really low self-esteem. It began with the smaller things: being more conscious of my appearance, comparing myself with others, being more selective with my eating habits. As I got older, and image became more important to me, particularly as a young gay male, things just got worse and I became obsessed with staying skinny.
When I was 13 I was bullied at school because of my mannerisms and behaviour, which led other students to make assumptions about my sexuality — before I’d even realised what I was. This, alongside my dislike of sports, lack of interest in girls and generally being a well-behaved student, meant I was quite unpopular.