NY Ink’s Gay Tattoo Shop Manager

Robear Chinosi, NY INK’s gay tattoo shop manager talks to Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ about the TLC reality show’s dramatic second season which includes his search to find the man of his dreams in a notoriously macho world. Robear is also a fierce gay activist and shares his thoughts about crucial issues facing our LGBT community. When asked what his personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights, Robear stated, “I’m very committed to the cause of gay and lesbian civil rights because as a gay man I’m just immersed in that community more and more. Now that I’m on television I have a platform and a voice to hopefully make a change and be a role model. You know we’ve been fighting since the sixties for equality. We are making progress but then we get pushed back a little and then we make more progress. You know it’s just fighting for what is right and what straight people have. Why wouldn’t we have the same rights as anyone else? We love the same, we’re human and it just happens that we love the same sex. I’m heavily involved with HRC and GLAAD. I support all those organizations that have really made such progress and have put this into the forefront of society. Especially with the government, you know we’re taxpayers and we’re part of the community. Why are we not getting the same rights as everyone else? I can only hope in this lifetime that I see it come full circle and that we get the same rights.” Chinosi is an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ teens who are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers after facing bullying incidents. Robear shared his personal experiences of being bullied and gay bashed. He stated, “What got me through is that I knew from an early age that I wanted to become a leader in our community and now hopefully and successfully I have stepped into my role as a social influencer in the world of fashion, design and television.” NY Ink airs Thursdays on TLC at 9P EST. For More Info: tlc.com/ny-ink

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