Being a Buddhist monk and a make-up artist may also seem like together exclusive careers, but no longer for Kodo Nishimura.
Nishimura splits his time among doing make-up for celebrities in New York and being a monk in a Buddhist temple in Tokyo.
Growing up in Japan, Nishimura felt as though he couldn’t be open about his gender identification or sexuality.
“I didn’t need humans to find out that I become attracted to guys,” he informed PinkNews.
“I didn’t want to admit I liked Sailor Moon or Disney Princesses, but the fact I couldn’t share this with people meant I couldn’t hook up with each person or make any pals, which remoted me.”
Watch the video under to look Nishimura rework from religious wear into make-up:
Nishimura fell into the make-up artist world even as analyzing abroad in Boston in 2007.
He located he was unbound by the conventional constraints of gender and started out experimenting with makeup—something that had not been possible whilst living in his father’s temple.
“Being special can make differences within the international, so don’t be afraid to be who you are.”
He commenced giving his buddies makeovers and after seeing the high-quality effect it had on their shallowness, he was advocated to begin a career in the enterprise.
He now identifies as “gender proficient” and has ended up an established superstar make-up artist, operating behind the curtain at Miss Universe.
Becoming a Buddhist Monk
Despite finding his ardor in make-up, after 8 years within the US, he felt as even though something changed into lacking.
“I wanted to be disciplined again as a Japanese individual and I desired to undertake, question and apprehend Buddhism higher,” he explained.
Whilst Nishimura in no way thought it’d be impossible to pursue each career, he did enjoy a length of doubt, even encountering homophobia within the monastery.
“Before I turned into living to satisfy the expectancies of other humans, however, there may be not anything incorrect being who I am, my identity is not anything inferior.”
But, with the encouragement of his master and the popularity of his own family, he learned that the most crucial issue became now not how he dressed or appeared, but how well he carried the message of Buddhism.
“Before, I was living to satisfy the expectations of different humans, but there may be nothing wrong being who I am, my identity is not anything inferior.
“As lengthy as I am supporting people, giving validation to people and doing what I suppose is correct, it doesn’t remember.”
Since graduating from his monastery in 2015, Kodo maintains to unfold the message of Buddhism throughout his paintings and has ended up a propose for LGBT+ rights in addition to providing unfastened makeup workshops for transgender women.
Not so extraordinary: Make-up and Buddhism
Whilst his two roles can also seem very special, Kodo keeps locating similarities within them.
“I’m operating from the same vicinity, I want to make people feel higher approximately themselves, I need to show them their splendor, so to me, these two matters are almost the equal,” he said.
He hopes that his tale will encourage extra human beings to embody their proper identification.
“Being one-of-a-kind could make differences within the world, so don’t be afraid to be who you’re.”
