A decade-long journey to come out to his family has shaped how Mirror News anchor Wang Hsien-yu thinks about belonging, representation and the power of being seen. The 40-year-old journalist says his own difficult experience has made him more alert to the pressures faced by others, and he hopes his public role can help bring change.
A long road from reporter to anchor
Wang has spent around 15 years in journalism, working his way from reporting to the anchor desk. But behind the familiar presence on screen, he says, was a personal challenge that took years to navigate: telling his family he was gay.
It took him a decade to come out at home. Wang has described family as a place where he received deep love, but also felt considerable pressure. At times, he struggled to find someone he could confide in, an experience that helped him better understand the isolation some people face. (Sources: Mirror Daily; Mirror News)
Why Cai Kang-yung became a guiding light
Wang has called television host and writer Cai Kang-yung both a “lighthouse” and a “lifeline”. Cai’s ideas and way of thinking, he said, had offered him and his friends a source of encouragement over the years.
When Wang’s family initially found his coming out hard to accept and hoped he might change, Cai’s example gave him something concrete to point to: a gay public figure living a full and successful life. That visibility mattered. For Wang, it helped challenge the assumption that coming out meant his future was over. (Sources: Mirror Media; Mirror News)
Visibility can make a difference
As a news presenter and a gay man, Wang occupies a public-facing role that can make representation feel immediate rather than abstract. He hopes to use that position to contribute to social change, while recognising that simply being visible can matter to people who feel alone.
He says positive responses have outweighed the negative ones. Even when faced with jibes about his perceived politics, he generally doesn't respond, describing the effect as a punch landing on cotton. It’s a calm approach, and perhaps a useful reminder that not every provocation deserves a platform. (Sources: Mirror News; Mirror Media)
A relationship on its own terms
Wang has been with his boyfriend, who is three years older, for 12 years. He said he proposed in Japan last year, and that the pair share an understanding about spending their lives together.
They also describe their relationship as open. Marriage isn't an immediate priority: Wang said they may consider their next step in three to five years. Their approach is a reminder that commitment doesn't have to follow a single timetable or look the same for every couple. (Sources: Mirror Daily; Liberty Times)
The value of telling your own story
Wang’s reflections connect a private family conversation with a wider question: who gets to be seen, and what might that visibility make possible for someone else? His story doesn't erase the pressure he faced, but it shows how support, role models and time can help people find their footing.
For viewers, an anchor is usually a familiar voice delivering the day's news. Wang's experience adds another dimension to that role: public figures can offer reassurance simply by living openly, without needing to turn every difficult moment into a speech. (Sources: Mirror News; Liberty Times)
It's a small act of visibility that can help someone feel less alone.
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