Queering Desi

On the season 3 premiere, Priya chats with actress Sonam Kapoor. The two talk about "Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga," a Bollywood film released earlier this year in which Sonam plays a lesbian who struggles to come out to her family.

The two chat about why LGBTQ activism is so close to Sonam's heart, what it was like to shoot the film and its box office and critical reception. Later, Priya asks Sonam about topics affecting Bollywood, including the (somewhat stalled) #MeToo movement and the gender pay gap. Finally, Sonam talks about her latest film, Zoya Factor, which is now available on Netflix.

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On the season finale of Queering Desi, Priya chats with YaliniDream, a Ilankai Tamil Blood, Manchester-Born, Texas-Bred and Brooklyn-Brewed storyteller and spiritual creator who blends poetry, theater, dance and song, with expertise in integrating arts and organizing.

Yalini shares their inspiration for the work they do, and how they see it as a facilitation between the Earth and Sky. They talk about their early experiences around faith and intangible forces, and how the pressure to assimilate impacted them. Yalini also talks about ancestral trauma how their ability to connect with the power of ancestors helped them recognize the colorism, racism and social conditioning that impacted them. Priya asks how queerness and sexuality intersected with Yalini's journey, and Yalini talks about being able to be present with their own desires. Later, Yalini shares advice for her younger self and Priya and Yalini delve into the casteism and anti-blackness rampant in the South Asian community.

On this episode, Priya talks to Sundeep Morrison, a queer Punjabi Sikh writer, actress, director, author and activist. Priya asks Sundeep about what drives her art, and Sundeep shares her experience with the Oak Creek shooting. The two chat about the aftermath, and the ways that racism still affects them post-9/11. Sundeep shares how she turned this story into "Rag Head," her one woman show, and her connection to the Sikh faith. The two then talk about their experiences with gender and sexuality in South Asian spaces and not feeling "queer" enough. Later, they talk about spirituality, and the perpetuation of patriarchal structures in religious spaces.

[Content warning: This episode mentions assault around the 25:40 mark.]

Don't forget to tune in to Sundeep's radio show, Deep Talks, every Wednesday at 4pm Eastern/1pm Pacific (followed by Queering Desi at 5pm Eastern/2pm Pacific) on Rukus Avenue Radio. You can follow Sundeep on Instagram (@sundeepmorrison). For more information and her full bio, visit queeringdesi.com.

On this episode, Priya chats with Sikh Knowledge, a producer/DJ from Montreal. Priya asks Sikh about his beats, and he shares how world music blended together in his early musical influences. The two chat about what it means for all our identities come together and shape our work, and Sikh shares the way he incorporates flavors of his narratives into his music. Later, Sikh talks about how creating has become a tool to heal, and how his queerness intersects with Sikhism and Punjabi culture. Priya also asks what it takes as a DJ to curate inclusive spaces, and Sikh shares how he strives to bring his full self to each performance. The two wrap up with a rapid-fire style round of questioning about Sikh’s early music inspirations, his favorite track, mental health, and his advice for his younger self.

[Content warning: This episode mentions suicidal ideation towards the end, around the 34-minute mark.]

You can follow Sikh Knowledge on SoundCloud, or across all social media, @sikhknowledge. For his full bio and links to his work, visit queeringdesi.com.

In this episode, Priya chats with Sameer Jha, a queer and trans youth activist. Sameer talks about why their advocacy centers around schools and how educational system can be more inclusive of queer and trans youth. Sameer opens up about bullying and their journey in supportive spaces at a new school to embark on their own journey. Priya then asks Sameer about the negative stereotypes they faced within the South Asian community, and Sameer shares signs they received that made them feel ashamed and ways they internalized that shame. The two talk about the lack visibility of LGBTQ+ people that goes hand in hand with silence in South Asian communities, and how that presented as hurdles with gender identity and gender expression in these contexts. Priya then asks about Sameer's journey coming out to themselves and their parents and how they explored the labels around their identities and gender expression. Later, Sameer talks about founding The Empathy Alliance, a non-profit that worked with schools to make them more inclusive, and why they wrote the book "Read This, Save Lives!" aimed at inspiring educators to create safer schools for LGBTQ+ youth. Finally, Priya asks Sameer how the South Asian community can support LGBTQ+ youth and how we can further narratives that don't just center marginalized identities.

In this episode, Priya chats with Charmaine Hussain, the proud mom of a queer and trans teenager. Charmaine talks about early childhood experiences for her child, Sameer, and the gender stereotypes that she fell into. Priya then asks about how Charmaine started to confront these assumptions, and Charmaine shares her initial reaction to Sameer's coming out. She opens up about how Sameer helped her navigate her questions and a pivotal experience that opened up their private journey to the public. Then, Charmaine shares how she overcame her fears about log kya kahenge, what people would say, and a truth that helped her realize that society can be more accepting than she thought. Later, Priya asks about how Charmaine developed an understanding about gender identity and Charmaine talks about societal standards of beauty, pronouns, and providing support to her child beyond labels. Finally, Charmaine shares what it was like to share Sameer's journey with her parents in Pakistan, and advice and resources for parents who may be going on a journey of their own. Charmaine ends with advice and an apology to South Asian children, then turns the question on Priya to ask what support they need.

Be sure to also tune into Episode 9 with Charmaine's child, Sameer! You can find more information about this episode on www.queeringdesi.com.

In honor of Pride month, we're celebrating with brand new episodes every week!

This week, Priya chats with Raj Kalra and talks weddings and parenting! Raj identifies in SO many ways: gay, Indian, and also a dad, husband, OG Lamb, television executive and producer, son, brother and 5x Fantasy Football Champion. The two start off by reflecting on what Pride means to them and why this year feels especially important. Then, Raj talks about his wedding in 2014, a celebration that brought together western, Indian and gay cultures. Priya follows suit, sharing details of their wedding last year, and the two reflect on what that kind of visibility means for them and the communities they grew up in. Later, Raj shares the journey of adopting his son, another first for his South Asian community, and the best part of being a parent.
You can follow Raj on Instagram (@therajankalra) or Twitter (@RAJonline).

For more information, visit www.queeringdesi.com!

In honor of Pride month, we're celebrating with brand new episodes every week!

This week, we chat with Vishaal Reddy, the star and creator of the new limited series, "Insomnia," about a bisexual Indian man who moonlights as an escort. Vishaal talks about the real-life incident behind the inception of the show, and the lack of representation that drove him to write it. Priya and Vishaal discuss the (absence of) on-screen portrayal of South Asian sexuality and desirability, and Vishaal delves into the research behind depicting sex work on the show. Priya then asks about Vishaal's experiences as a bisexual man and how those inspired his character. Later, Vishaal talks about weaving various cultural aspects into the character, and what messages he hopes the audience takes from the show. The two wrap up with what Pride means to them now, Vishaal's advice for his younger self and unintentional (yummy!) dessert advice.

You can follow Vishaal on Twitter (@ReddySetGo1) and Instagram (@reddy2rumble). For more information, visit www.insomniatheshow.com and www.queeringdesi.com

We're kicking off Pride month with several new episodes! First up, we have Fatimah Asghar, a poet, filmmaker, educator and performer. Priya asks Fatimah about Brown Girls, an Emmy-Nominated web series that highlights friendships between women of color. Later, they chat about Fatimah's debut book of poems, If They Come For Us, the elusive idea of home, and ancestral trauma. The episode wraps with Fatimah's advice to her younger self, and what's coming next for her.

You can follow Fatimah on Twitter and Instagram (@asgharthegrouch) and learn more about her work at www.fatimahasghar.com. Full bio and show notes also available on www.queeringdesi.com!