When I was younger, all I ever wanted was to go to a desi function and find someone like me. I would've sold my left leg just for a conversation with a queer desi person who was older than me, just so I knew that it was possible, it was real and I could keep being me. Now that I'm older, I am taking the chance to be that person for those kids and even though it makes me feel like I'm reaching out a hand through layers of time back to my 13 year old self, it still aches a little, knowing that i never had that.
You know what I exactly need?!? A desi yaar on Tumblr jisko mai randomly gaane ke lyrics bhej sakung jab mera mann and reply mein mujhe aage ke lyrics mile....anyone up for it?!? Please?? I swear I'm nice and pretty cool I believe?!? 😭😭
In the words of our wisest one, og mod: “If you can’t find queer media that represents you, then make it yourself!”
Truer words have never been spoken, and by honoring those words, we bring you a space of love, acceptance, and creativity. A space to use your voice and become the visionary of what it means to be Desi, queer, and a survivor. So, once again, calling out to all the many many talented writers, artists, poets, directors, leaders, biographers, dreamers, lovers, or those who simply want to tell your story…come and show us what it means to be you.
The Desi LGBT Fest Mods welcomes you to,
✨ Desi LGBT Fest 2023!!!✨
Where we share stories, poems, essays, art, photographs, and more:
Queer in themes: this is inclusive of trans, asexuals, aromantics, and all the other niche identities of the LGBTQIA+
Set around desi characters and/or desi settings. Desi including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Shri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, etc.
That’s it! It can be any genre, any desi language, any length. Engage as much as you want, as many times as you want, however you want.
🧡💛💚💙💜💓
The main tags that will be featured for this year’s fest are:
#desilgbtfest23 for the overall main contents
#dlf23day[#] (ex. #dlf23day1) for submission-specific prompts each day of the fest
Mods and Creators can include any tags they deem necessary outside of these two for their content, however, if you want your work featured in our blog, then MENTION US at @desilgbtfest on your post and use the tags above.
I don't expect too much. I don't expect to be loved. I just yearn to be understood. I wanna know how it feels to be understood. How it feels to be understood without being judged, without being criticised. But guess what Anne Frank was right "dead people receive more flowers than living ones". Until and unless you are alive, people will criticize you and judge you. The only thing they won't do is try to understand you. But once you are dead they will be all over you. And then suddenly they will start to understand you and the things you did. But why don't we try to understand people when they are alive? Why can't we say good things to them when they are alive instead of saying it all to them on their grave?
Tonight, if you sit down tonight to make a list of the people who didn't live up to your expectations, there will be a lot of names: friends who gave up on you in crucial times, weren't too kind when you needed only a little kindness to make through, were a little cold when you were craving for warmth, even if only in words. But, I also want you to write of all the times you surprised yourself. When you still managed to be kind to undeserving people, when you still used words, which mask true emotions, when you looked so calm even when everything was falling apart. When you found in your heart to forgive everyone, indiscriminately.
Tonight, I want you to remember all the times when in this indefinite world you made an island for yourself. Because there are nights when you are all you have.
I am done. There is supposed to be a limit right??
My bhuas (aunts) literally locked me in a room and took my phone and forced me to give the password.
I literally had a panic attack, and they were hugging me and saying that they were doing this because they loved me.
If you fucking loved me, you wouldn't have ambushed me like that and humiliated me infront of everyone after. You would have left me alone when I was on my knees sobbing and begging you to let me go.
Thanks, I guess for confirming that I can never trust you again. And as I am a really private person, having my personal stuff out for everyone was a great blow for my self-esteem.