2SLGBTQ+ newcomers say hatred, homophobia persist in their cultural communities
CBC
Jaideep Singh knows not to tell people in the Punjabi community that he is gay, as that is often met with ridicule, disdain or the threat of ostracization. It's an experience other 2SLGBTQ+ members say is common in newcomer communities.
"It's been really hard. In the community, to be queer, is really challenging," the 24-year-old said.
"Sometimes, I don't really feel like a part of the community because there's no space for being queer."
In a scan of Facebook and other social media groups with mostly newcomers, CBC saw posts from a few members sharing homophobic and transphobic messaging.
A woman posted multiple times in one Regina group, discouraging members to send their kids to school for Pride-related activities. In another group, a member asked people not to attend a Pride parade.
One newcomer, who had earlier voiced their support of the Saskatchewan government's pronoun bill — which makes parental consent required before a child under 16 can use a different gender-related name or pronoun at school — declined to be interviewed, asking "why anomaly should be celebrated."
Singh noted that some group members post daily.
"Not a couple but a lot of such posts on community pages. There are some people posting really homophobic views and hatred towards queer people," Singh said.
The Saskatoon resident said he feels scared at times of losing friendships due to his identity.
He said that in the Punjabi and wider Indian community, men showing feminine characteristics are belittled.
"They don't see them as a man and make fun of them or make them feel not human, or treat them really differently," he said.
For these reasons, Tahmid Esham said he distanced himself from his Bangladeshi community and the wider South Asian community in the city.
When he started doing drag in 2018, Esham said bringing Bollywood culture to the stage under the name Shonali was embraced.
"However, the saddest part is it was not really as accepted in my own community," he said.
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