Page 7 - BEQ Magazine Iss 21 rev01072022

(meaning “self”); hentes (meaning “doer” or “being”) which At 18, the pain of conformity was too strong and I had
itself derives from the Proto Indo European root sene (which the courage to come out of the closet as a gay man. It’s been
means “to accomplish or achieve”). So self + being + achieve over 25 years and still, the fascism of conformity is at war
= authenticity. Looks like that young woman in Tacoma was within me. As a small business owner, I have to navigate the
right – YOU DO YOU BOO BOO. disclosure of the truth of who I am, because in some places in
But as I look back at my life as a queer, young Cuban-Amer- the United States and in the greater world it is still unsafe for
ican boy with an acute me to BE AUTHENTIC.
and explosive case of Before I walk on global
Showtunitis, where was stages to share my
there achievement and/or story AUTHENTICALLY,
celebration in the natural the fear that there are
expression of myself? homophobes in the
I’m standing in front audience can be both
of my classmates in a paralyzing and debili-
second grade classroom tating.
clutching a stuffed animal And yet over 25 years
seal and confess that I since the day I had the
name him after a boy that courage to powerfully
I have an innocent crush stand in physical and
on. I learn don’t be your- vocal alignment with
self . . .LIE. the truth of who I am,
In sixth grade, a fellow I also know that there
boy classmate, who is have been immense
also the victim of taunts rewards. None of it
and jeers, gives me a is easy, but there are
Valentine’s Day box of rewards.
chocolates. Although I know that there
nothing overt is shared, is probably something
I infer the meaning of his about you that you were
gift. Behind his back, I taught to lie + hide +
make fun of him, to take change. Something
the pressure off of me. I that through great pain
learn don’t be yourself . . you may have started to
. HIDE. share in personal and professional settings. If you feel safe to
I’m 12 years old and on a weekend afternoon grab the H walk through the fear and step into the fearlessness of being
volume of the World Book Encyclopedia and lock myself in the more authentic, may you remember the words of the middle
bathroom looking up the dreaded word HOMOSEXUALITY. For school student in Tacoma and my affirmation to you . . . You
years, when my parents or grandparents ask if I like a girl, I feel Do You Boo Boo. 
forced to play along. As I flip the pages my heartbeat races. I
finally land on the word and at the end of the entry, it says, “in Eduardo Placer (he/him) is a storyteller, speaker and founder of Fearless Com-
some cases, and with great work, a homosexual can change.” I municators. He founded a diverse, inclusive public speaking coaching practice
exhale and learn don’t be yourself . . . CHANGE. that works with emerging and accomplished thought leaders on what they say
So here is another recipe: LIE + HIDE + CHANGE = CONFOR- and how they say it. Clients include presidential candidates, UN diplomats,
MITY. This is what is actually centered and rewarded . . . how industry leaders and start-up founders. Organization clients include Google,
well we perform the collective authenticity of the dominant HBO, Crisis Group, Adage Tech, University of Pennsylvania, Yale and The Juilliard
School. Prior to his entrepreneurial journey, Eduardo was a professional actor
power. When does it really pay to be an “outlier”, “different”, and suffers from an acute condition called Showtunitis where he sponta-
“unique” or “authentic” in middle school and high school? neously breaks out into song and dance. Learn more at eduardoplacer.com.

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