Being queer in South Asian countries has never been easy. In regions where traditions supersede individual desires, many people have lived their lives behind closed doors fearing rejection from others. Section 377 was an archaic law put in place by erstwhile colonial rulers, and while they themselves have repealed it in their country, we still seem to unreasonably hold onto it. The recent Supreme Court hearing has given us hope for a better future, but we still have a long way to go when it comes to cultural change and societal acceptance.
While the fear kept (and still keeps) many LGBTQ individuals from coming to terms with their sexuality, sexual orientation and gender identity, there are others that have come out, loud and proud to unabashedly be who they are. It’s not a process without its obstacles, stepping out from the shadows, but we’ve seen a growth in the number of voices calling for recognition, equality and the right to live life on their terms.
Social media has undeniably played a role in creating a global network of support and compassion. Platforms like Instagram have become spaces for dialogue and representation, connection and expression for numerous queer individuals around the world.
It is far from an easy, comfortable lived reality, but it hasn’t stopped South Asians all over the world from furthering the conversation around sexuality and identity. Be it through activism or art, today we look at people that are challenging traditional roles when it comes to the concept of gender and sexuality as people of colour on an international scale. They serve as role models for countless individuals, in India and abroad, by wearing non-conformity on their sleeve and boldly being themselves and a voice for others. Let them serve as inspiration on your Instagram feed to be true to yourself, love yourself, and help those around you to do the same.
[Note: Queer is a word with a heavy history (which we should all know and read about), and in the current context we’re using it as an umbrella term for people whose sexual identity and gender identification is not heterosexual and cisgender.]
I. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto @Faluda_Islam
Of mixed Pakistani, Lebanese and Iranian descent, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto is an artist, performer, drag queen and curator who you may know as Faluda Islam. Bhutto addresses identity politics that have been cemented and influenced by an imperialist society, further Trumped by international politics. A curatorial resident at SOMArts Cultural Center, he explores the reality of being a queer Muslim in a world that has long limited the existence of the community.
Bhutto uses his alter-drag-ego Faluda Islam to speak about issues related to sexuality, identity, religious beliefs, and their relationship with each other. Bhutto passionately talks about the war in middle east often calling out social influencers to give heed to humanitarian crises plaguing our world.
II. Harmeet Rehal @harmeetrehal
The spectrum of gender non-conforming people is incredible and since we don’t see a lot of their representation their lack of visibility is why people like Harmeet Rehal are important. 19-year-old Rehal is trans, non-binary and queer and their art reflects their identity as well as their Sikh-Punjabi heritage.
Rehal was also part of Karishma Pranjivan’s ongoing photo-series addressing body image and hair, challenging notions of femininity and “exploring South Asian representation, experiences, and the visual language of social identity and diaspora,” as stated by the photographer. Rehal spreads awareness about simple changes we can make in our lives, like using the right gender pronouns to simply be kinder and recognise the LGBTQ community for who they are.
III. Vivek Shraya @vivekshraya
A multi-disciplinary artist, Vivek Shraya is a transwoman who has made her voice be heard through music, photography, literature and film. Not only is she a total style icon, but someone that has really grown to become an inspiration for queer South Asians around the world.
With numerous, well-deserving accolades to her name, such as being a four-time Lambda Literary Award finalist, Vivek was a 2016 Pride Toronto Grand Marshal and has received honours from the Toronto Arts Foundation and The Writers’ Trust of Canada. She is also an Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Calgary. Addressing topics of racism, homophobia and identity, if you’re not familiar with her work already, we really suggest you get acquainted.
IV. Amrit Brar @amrit.s.brar
Queer, female, Sikh and a person of colour, Amrit Brar’s art is what you need on your feed if dark humour and death expressed through incredible illustrations is your vibe. Speaking to Kajal Magazine she says that it is the “general existential dread that we all live with” that her comic series speaks to. An illustrator and zine creator based out of Ontario, Canada, it his her own experiences with religion, culture, diaspora and racism that seep into her witty and biting creations, and it is exactly that which makes it so relatable for South Asians.
If nothing else, you have to check out her zine series called Shitty Horoscopes that satirizes newspaper horoscopes that so many people follow to the T.
V. Taksh Sharma @kawaiibloggerchan
Runaway Muse as they like to call themselves, Taksh is a bold trans freelance stylist and model. Their oozing self worth reflects in their fashion style with a monochromatic melancholy in their writing. Heck, reading about all the ambiguity in the world, has left a Homegrown intern writer feeling like a slave to his sexual orientation, but Taksh makes sure readers truly find the life they have so chosen, with their therapeutic writing etched onto our digital reality. Bottomline, we found Taksh so incredible that we will rabidly follow them like paparazzi. Follow them soon, or just feel the heat of their afterburners while they light up the way as they go.
VI. Rohit Singh @roro_love_makeup
In their professional arena, Rohit Singh bashes gender stereotypes, much like a professional bullfighter, waving a veil of their colourful outlook in the face of discrimination. Roro’s make-up practices are not restricted to girls. Singh firmly believes that the art of putting on liners and lipsticks is gender neutral. Rohit is a also planet lover and holds the view that the canvas is everywhere around us. Oh, and when you do check out their account, you would want to have your notepad ready.
VII. Alex Mathew @mayathedragqueen
“Drag is the celebration of women and all they can be”, said Maya. At the time when we all need a role model to look up to, Maya has directed all their efforts to both boys and girls in making them understand that there is no need to hide whoever they might be. One of the first drag artists in India, Alex really set the stage with his performance as Mayamma or to most, Maya. Though he started off part time, he’s now transitioning to be a full time performer, most often at the Kitty Su venues around India. Maya is a more than an alter ego, it’s a form of expression. Maya is an all out comedy queen, she knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to say it out loud, in her Alex found the confidence he needed to pursue his Broadway dreams.
Though there is a blossoming culture he feels that there’s still a long way to go before his vision of a open drag club can be realised, “We’ve been very regressive, having a safe space is what we really need to strive towards” He sees it as any other performance art and hopes that the general public will one day come to the same realisation, he doesn’t feel like his sexuality is in any way connected “Being a drag queen is also done by straight men or straight women. So I don’t think it is connected in any way. There were people who connected my being gay with me doing drag which is absolute rubbish.”
VIII. Alok Vaid-Menon @alokvmenon
A powerhouse of talent, Alok Vaid-Menon has travelled the world as a dynamic and formidable voice of an inclusive LGBTQI movement, captivating audiences with issues of gender, social justice, trans politics and sexuality in today’s globalised-yet predominantly traditional world, when it comes to aspects of alternative sexualities and gender.
Having grown up in a conservative Texas town, a non-binary, transfeminine writer, entertainer, and performance artist is how they describe in their own words. With a collection of work that voices global trans politics, they attempt to change the narrative of LGBTQI movements and create a space for queer people of colour that are searching for an identity, while also calling for a better understanding of what true ‘visibility’ is for an entire generation that falls left of centre means in the midst of the dominant heteronormative societal standards.
IX. Durga Gawde @durgagawdestudio
Having grown up in an artistic environment – their father is an artist and mother an art manager – Durga Gawde took to art themselves soon after their school days. Gawde honed their skills first at Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology, in Bengaluru, followed by Rhode Island School of Design, USA.
Durga identifies as a gender-fluid pansexual person, a concept that many in the country still struggle to understand and as an educator, Durga tries to make them see beyond the predetermined roles set by society. “Sometimes I am a man, sometimes a woman, sometimes both and at times, neither,” they tell Design Fabric in an interview. They also do drag performances and are an active member of the LGBTQI community, raising awareness about being non-binary and the many terminologies and identities that make up the rainbow umbrella.
X. Manpreet Singh Virk @singhisqueer
“I am a Queer, Transgender, Punjabi, Sikh born in America, and I do not know the number of people like me in this world,” wrote Manpreet Singh Virk. Singh uses his Spoken Word Poetry to talk about issues of trans visibility, violence, love, acceptance, discrimination, harassment, religion and identity, even publishing a book called Singh is Queer. Through his powerful words and openness about his FTM transition, he has proved himself to be an inspiration for other queer brown kids who are struggling with their identity.
It is his honesty and strength that have made him a role model for countless others of the Indian diaspora and beyond.
Feature image credits: Vivek Shraya (L) photographed by Adam Coish, and Taksh Sharma (R) photographed by Cheryl Mukherji and Anand Kishore.
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