Resources to help the south Asian LGBTQQIAAP community, you and/or a loved one

Although the south Asian community has come a long way in accepting and supporting it’s LGBTQQIAAP members, it’s well-known that there is still much stigma, prejudice and sometimes outright hatred and violence within the community. Sol if you or a loved one is seeking help, below are south Asian-specific resources so that you find help that both understands and (should you want it) is in line with your faith and culture.

Hidayah

Hidayah is a secular charity for LGBTQI+ Muslims. They aim to, ensure that the voices of LGBTQI+ Muslims are heard and understood, to promote social justice and education about the Muslim LGBTQI+ community to counter discrimination, prejudice and injustice and to host projects and activities specifically for LGBTQI+ Muslim people.

The charity organises socials, educational workshops and for those who are ready, attendance and visibility at Pride events. Because of the current lockdown, many of their events have become virtual. They also have Whatsapp support groups. The Hidayah website is home to videos and links to blogs and books that explore the relationship between gender and sexuality, and Islam and features stories of LGBTQI+ Muslims, that have been submitted by members of the community. They also have a link to their podcast, Istame’a, on queer Muslim stories.

Sarbat

Sarbat is a volunteer-led group for LGBTQI+ Sikhs. They aim to encourage conversations on issues faced by queer Sikhs, tackle homophobia, biphobia and transphobia and encourage and foster acceptance of LGBTQI+ Sikhs within and beyond their community. Aside from awareness, they are also a place of socialising and support for queer Sikhs, so they can meet with and help one another.

Due to current social distancing restrictions, they are hosting meetings online. Topics of past sessions include mental health for LGBTQI+ Sikhs, being queer and Sikh in the workplace, a social on coming out to friends and an online course on Sikhism. Also on their website you will find resources on understanding sexuality and how to come out, the basics of Sikhi and links to other LGBTQI+ support groups and health and wellbeing support groups like sexual health centres, mental health help and bullying helplines.

Fæ / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)

Naz and Matt Foundation

The Naz and Matt Foundation was set up Matt Mahmood-Ogston following the death of his partner Dr Nazim Mahmood in July 2014. Nazim took his own life two days after he was confronted by family members who refused to accept him as gay due to religious reasons and instead suggested that he see a psychiatrist so he could be cured. The charity’s aim is to be a community of support for individuals who fear they will be disowned, emotionally or physically abused or forced to marry someone against their will if their family finds out they are LGBTQI+ and to help parents understand what it means to be LGBTQI+ and accept their child.

The charity has received a number of awards for their work. On their website you will find links to emergency services, a community support forum, a form to request 1-to-1 support should you need it and inspiring and motivating stories from individuals in the community. The organisation also hosts regular group meet-ups, visits schools to educate pupils and help tackle homophobia and bullying and launched the annual July 30th Out and Proud Parents Day, to encourage accepting parents to publicly tell the world how much they love and accept their child.

Karma Nirvana

Karma Nirvana is a charity to support victims of honour based abuse and forced marriage. They run a free and confidential national helpline where they are available to listen and offer help to individuals who fear being, or are being, disowned, emotionally or physically abused, forced to marry and who fear coming out as LGBTQI+. If you are thinking of leaving home, they can help too.

Karma Nirvana also helps train professionals like the police, NHS staff and social service workers who help queer individuals. The charity is 25 years old and has received a number of awards for their work over the years. On their website you will also find links to government guidance on forced marriage. The organisation also hosts an annual Day of Memory conference on July 14th to remember those lost to honour killings.

Katy Blackwood / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)

Imaan

Imaan is a 20 year-old Muslim LGBTQI+ charity. Their aim is to be a social support group and have over the years won many awards. They typically hold meet-ups every Thursday of the month. In December of this year, they are due to host the UK’s first Muslim Pride event called ImaanFest, a day-long celebration of culture, identity and faith, full of talks, films, a historical Muslim LGBT exhibition, oral history project and interactive workshops on subjects like coming out and sexuality in Islam, followed by a dinner and dance.

The oral history project called, ‘Not Coming Out’ is about Muslims who can’t or don’t want to be out, to illustrate that being out is not the ideal LGBTQI+ life for everyone. During Ramadan this year, the group held virtual Iftaars during which members of the community led discussions on topics like healing and reconnecting with Islam. On their Facebook page you will find news of their events and important south Asian LGBTQI+ news from around the world.

Queer Asia

Queer Asia is a group of LGBTQI+ scholars, academics, activists, artists, and performers. Based at SOAS, University of London, their aim is to be a platform for conversation and research on issues affecting LGBTQI+ individuals in Asia and Asian diasporas around the world. The group host monthly seminars, screenings and discussions on queer themes from all over Asia as well as annual conferences, film festivals and art exhibitions, all based on queer themes.

This year’s film festival, which runs from June through to July, is being done online. On their website you will find videos of their events and blog posts and blog series’ on a range of topics from intersex rights in Hong Kong to the building blocks of the LGBTQI+ Asian community in the UK. There is also a link to a book by members of the Queer Asia group, of pan-Asian case studies and research of queer Asian identities and movements outside of a Western perspective.

Vinayak Das via Flickr

Glitter Cymru

Glitter Cymru is a social support group for BAME LGBTQI+ individuals in Cardiff, Wales. They host monthly meet-ups (currently Zoom calls) to share stories and resources, seek help, discuss experiences, reflect on progress made and progress still needed, converse on current events affecting the community and play games.

Their Facebook page features regular posts on upcoming socials, inspiring LGBTQI+ individuals and how members and allies can support and celebrate current events affecting community. For example, to recognise Refugee Week 2020 (from 15th June to 21st June), the page shared the story and photograph of a BAME LGBTQ+ refugee or asylum seeker every day.

British Asian LGBTI

British Asian LGBTI is a forum in which stories are shared of the challenges faced by the LGBTQI+ community and of positive role models to inspire people. By sharing and making these stories more accessible, they hope to reduce inequality, discrimination and isolation. On their website you will find stories on coming out, links to blog posts, videos, films, podcasts, articles, research papers and tweets about south Asian LGBTQI+ individuals and about progress made for the community within society at large.

There are also a number of interesting interviews on the website, such as with Salaphaty and John, a very religious gay couple, with Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera, a young woman advocating for LGBTQI+ rights in Uganda and with Serena Kaur, author of the novel All the Words Unspoken, which features a bisexual character and addresses the taboo around mental health, sex and sexuality in the south Asian community.

Via Instagram @jameelajamilofficial

Finding A Voice

Finding A Voice is a social support group for South Asian LGBTQI+ communities in Birmingham and the surrounding areas. Typically, they host a meeting every Wednesday of the month but this is currently under hiatus due to Covid19. Through these sessions the group aims to empower and encourage LGBTQI+ individuals to accept and embrace themselves and to help them find this in the wider community too.

There are regular posts on the group’s Facebook page where they share articles about south Asian LGBTQI+ individuals and progress made in policy around the world in accepting the LGBTQI+ community, events hosted by other queer south Asian groups, videos of interviews with queer south Asian people and links to media like books, about the community.

Dosti Leicester

Dosti Leicester is a social support group for south Asian and Middle Eastern LGBTQI+ people in Leicester. Trade Sexual Health, a free and confidential health charity for the LGBTQI+ community hosts Dosti Leicester’s monthly meetings, which are currently being held online due to social distancing restrictions.

On their Facebook page you will find information about their events, news about and affecting south Asian and Middle Eastern individuals from around the world and media like films and videos from the queer community. The team also produce a monthly newsletter detailing all the latest south Asian and Middle Eastern LGBTQI+ news and events globally.