Cynthia Chockalingam

Oftentimes, it’s easy to forget how recent colonization in South Asia by Europeans ended. In reality, for many of us today, our grandparents, parents, or even ourselves lived through it. While the West was beginning to see progress towards inclusivity in the 1900s, South Asia had just been left by the queerness is provocative and unacceptable during colonization.The UK saw the beginning of organized LGBTQ+ civil rights movements in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Post-colonization, South Asia simply wanted to live up to the “standards” the west had left behind, so communities in South Asia let go of parts of its histories and cultures. As a result, many South Asian American spaces are not safe or welcoming to LGBTQ+ individuals. The world’s oldest South Asian LGBT magazine, Trikone, was not founded until 1986. 

The time of the 70s and 80s was also when there were great waves of migration from South Asia to Britain. Yet, since the very beginning, South Asians played a critical role in this movement. In 1988, the group Shakti was found, representing South Asian lesbian and gay individuals. That same year, a founding member of Shakti, DJ Ritu, also founded a club: Club Shakti. This club raised funds for the larger organization and provided a safe space for British South Asian queer people. 

However, this “progressive acceptance” that these South Asian people represented and demonstrated is not something new. I contest that accepting queer people is not “progressive” in regards to South Asian history and culture because being part of this community was once normal. Hinduism, born in ancient South Asian culture, does not condemn LGBTQ+ individuals, unlike other religions. Some Hindu scholars argue Shikhandi, in the Mahabharata, is transgender, but Krishna did not mind sharing a chariot with this warrior. Gods frequently change from one gender to another. One such example is Vishnu, who came in a female form: Mohsin.

As a Bharatanatyam dancer for fourteen years, one of my favorite pieces is Ardhanari—depicting Ardhanareeswara, a God half man/half woman, half Shiva/half Parvati. On one side, River Ganga is flowing out of Shiva’s head; on the other, Parvati’s head is decorated with a beautiful bun. On one side, Shiva has skulls hanging from his neck; on the other, a gold chain hangs from Parvati’s neck. Shiva’s ankle on one side is surrounded by snakes; Parvati’s is decorated with a beautiful anklet. More than just being half Shiva and half Parvati, Ardhanareeswara depicts that the human being is not purely “masculine” strength or “feminine” beauty; the human being must be made of a balance between strength and grace—regardless of gender. Gender does not confine one to the attributes of gender stereotypes. 

This is not all to say that queerness is a large part of Hinduism; it’s a part of South Asian history as a whole. Such “form shifting” is part of other religions of the region too. The Lotus Sutra, an Indian Buddhist scripture, tells the story of Avalokiteśvara, the bodhisattva of compassion, who is also associated with Tara, the multi-form female bodhisattva.

Even after homosexuality was made illegal, queerness was not treated as “odd” as in the west at times. For example, in the 1884 case of Queen Empress v. Khairati, Naisargi N. Dave explains in Feminist Studies that Khairati was “clearly a habitual sodomite,” the verdict that found him guilty was overturned because of a lack of precise details, such as “time, place,…other persons involved.” While gender stereotypes were certainly stronger at the time than earlier, this exemplified that even with colonization, South Asian culture is rooted in questioning these boxes and stereotypes. Source after source says that so much ancient South Asian literature and culture is permeated with queerness that it is difficult to separate and identify the queerness; it’s difficult to compile all of this queer South Asian literature because there is so much of it. 

An LGBTQ+ group that cannot be overlooked are the Hijra, an identity of intersex/trangender people, that have existed for over 2000 years. Mughal Empire Muslim leaders were patrons of Hijra. However, British colonization led to the criminalization of hijras, leading to stigma and fear despite their significance. Europeans could not fathom a third gender. This long history is a complex one with a complicated set of identities: some just call them transgender; while moreso outside India than outside the nation, this is considered by some a completely different gender—a third gender—all together because ultimately, they are not men becoming women or women becoming men or confining themselves to a box of one of the two in anyway; they are neither male nor female, but they are not transitioning to one either. This group is also known as Aravani, Aruvani, Jogappa, and Kinnar/Kinner. 

Despite the setbacks for Hijras caused by the British, they have won some protections since then. Starting in 2007, Pant v. Nepal found that third gender would be protected under the same ruling that legalized same-sex marriage. In 2013, Bangladesh legally recognized people who identified as a third gender, protecting the Hijra community. The following year, 2014, the ruling from National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) v. Union of India paved the way to legally recognizing the third gender; this also meant “sex” based protections are not exclusively for protections for biological characteristics—but also self-perceived gender identity. Today, there are over half a million Hijras in South Asia. 

(The Guardian)

Queerness that has been part of South Asian culture cannot be denied. Nonetheless, we cannot deny the homophobia and discrimination clearly present within the culture today and for many centuries past. As South Asian Americans, us young, “liberal,” and “progressive” kids often want to embrace the diversity and open-mindedness of our history and heritage; in this process, we cannot overlook the damage caused by our ancestors and our own families and friends—and ourselves—resulting in prejudice and damage towards queer South Asians and South Asian Americans today. It is not uncommon to hear uncles and aunties tell us stories of intersex and transgender gods but turn away from LGBTQ+ South Asian American individuals today. We cannot embrace the commonplace of queer South Asians as just history; we must embrace it as part of our culture that will and should exist forever. 

Despite the challenges South Asian Americans face in this nation, a significant amount of Americans’ cultures contain stolen or borrowed aspects of South Asian cultures—whether it be shared through the west’s earlier colonization or South Asian immigation to the United States. Consequently, as AAPI is coming to a close, we will be reviewing aspects of American practices and cultures that are derived from South Asians and South Asian Americans. 

To the general American populace, “South Asian” and “Desi” are synonymous labels. They view our culture as just one thing: Bollywood. They are familiar with naan, paneer, Hindi, and butter chicken. When I mention I eat dosas and idlis at home everyday and I am Tamil, they have no idea what I am talking about. This educational disconnect results in failure to acknowledge many contributions from South Asia and South Asian Americans because they do not know about the multitude of cultures that originate from the entire Indian subcontinent. 

Ayurvedic, Siddha, and other traditional medicine practices from South Asia have taken rise in the United States and the western world. India welcomes students from the USA and Canada into its higher institutions to allow students from all over the world to learn and be inspired by our ancient practices and cultures—practices that many South Asian Americans have been promoting in the United States itself. Education around Ayurveda and practices themselves are very successful in many states in this country. Ayurvedic practices were introduced to the United States in the 1960s. In just more recent years, the practice has been integrated into American clinics, spas, academic centers, and oncology wards. 

The role of Ayurveda in America’s daily practices is only expected to grow. The New York Post predicts, “The ancient science of Ayurveda is beauty’s next big thing.”Ayurvedic practices are being introduced to not just hair care, but also cosmetics and skin care. Ancient South Asian practices are becoming part of normal life and daily practices in the United States because of the knowledge South Asian Americans have introduced to the United States to maintain personal and body wellness. 

I think I can safely say that most people in the United States—at least—know of the Kardashians. Well in a recent episode of The Kardashians, a new TV show centered around the Kardashians replacing Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Kourtney Kardashian and her partner, Travis Barker, had a Panchakarma cleanse—an Ayurvedic treatment—to help Kourtney with her fertility struggles. 

Protein bars have also become integral to many gym frequenters’ diets. Btein Bars are a new protein bar on the market that are expected to outperform by almost double the growth of the protein bar industry. Btein Bars boast that their health benefits are rooted in a key ingredient: Ashwagandha. Ashwagandha also finds an ancient history in Ayurvedic practices as a “healing root that helps relieve stress.” Already in Walmart and Onelavi, the bar is also soon coming to Amazon. 

Perhaps one of the most common practices derived from South Asia and South Asian Americans is hair oiling—referred to by many Americans as “hair slugging.” I remember when I was young and my mom would oil my hair and body at least once a week. Not knowing it was uncommon, I would go to school and talk about my “oil baths,” and my peers would look at me like I was crazy and it was disgusting. A little over a decade later, hair and body oiling has become common practice amongst a considerable number of Americans. NPR quantifies that, “influencer content on social media mentioning “slugging” terms saw more than a two-fold increase in the number of posts between May 2021 and April 2022, compared to the previous year, and about 600% more video views.” Hair oils and body oils are now common in everyday stores like Target and Sephora. Fable & Mane is a South Asian American owned brand that uses South Asian roots in their hair care solutions. They have been featured in American publications like Vogue, Forbes, Allure, and InStyle. Now, this brand finds itself to be used by everyday Americans all across the country. 

South Asian American doctors and scientists, such as Dr. Khushboo Garodia and Dr. Varalakshmi Yanamandra, have been integral in helping uncover the science behind this ancient practice and explaining the benefits. 

South Asian American doctors like these have paved the way for powerful South Asian American businesses that have introduced our ancient practices to modern cosmetics, providing solutions that are healthier for humans and the earth. For example, Sravya Adusumilli founded Mango People Cosmetics, which uses “elements of nature.” Adusumilli explains, “I started experimenting with clays and pigment rich fruits and flowers such as cherries and hibiscus. I researched Ayurvedic principles and its teachings of using powerful plants and herbs to heal the body, mind and spirit.” Advocating for people of color, she also explains a core tenant of her clean beauty brand is creating products that are inclusive of all skin tones while maintaining quality and performance. 

Similarly, Kulfi Beauty, founded by Priyanka Ganjoo, is well known for its Underlined Kajal Eyeliner. This brand has been featured in Allure multiple times and has gained national recognition. Kulfi Beauty is renowned for its eyeliner that was inspired by South Asian kajal eyeliner. 

South Asian Americans and our contributions have become so integral in this nation that they have just become a part of daily life, consequently, these contributions often go unacknowledged. Younger South Asian Americans often discuss the disconnect between ourselves and the older generation—whether something is cultural appropriation or appreciation. To some, seeing a white woman wearing a bindi out and about on a normal day is inappropriate and stealing from our culture, while to others, it brings joy to them to see our practices just become a part of daily life. Regardless of which way you feel, I still believe it is important to acknowledge these practices and contributions that come from South Asians and South Asian Americans. Ultimately, many of us have built our homes here for generations to come and our descendants should still have a culture to call their own and take pride in.

This month, May, is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. As we have previously discussed, South Asians are becoming a growing part of this county’s population and history. South Asian Americans must be recognized for our contributions for many decades in this country. 

It’s important that during this month, we—as South Asians—do not forget that this heritage month includes us, as well. Oftentimes, we are told, “You’re not Asian.” Looking at a map, it is easy enough to tell that we are. However, the impacts of those statements, as wrong as they are, have consequences. South Asians, amongst Southeast Asians and Filipinos, are often not included in advocacy spaces for Asians. Kevin L. Nadal explains in “The Brown Asian American Movement: Advocating for South Asian, Southeast Asian, and Filipino American Communities,” a Harvard Kennedy School publication, that by the late-1960’s and 70’s, “Yellow Power Movement” was used as a term to replace the Asian American Movement in response to the Black Power Movement and the Brown Power Movement. This title established East Asian Americans to be the dominant voice in this movement, whether it be intentional or unintentional. Nonetheless, our advances, accomplishments, and contributions have been imperative towards the progress of this nation. 

In the early 1900s, San Francisco saw the rise of the Ghadar Party. Composed of a group of mostly hard labor workers and farmers, this group of Indian immigrants worked together to push for Indian freedom from the British while being in America. This group of South Asian Americans stood for the ideals and values of democracy. This was while they faced anti-Asian sentiments that targeted them from entering the country and caused them to face more discrimination if they made it in. As San Francisco was growing at the time, South Asian Americans certainly played a role in what San Francisco has grown into today: not just a technological hub, but a place of growth and support for American social movements. 

Staying located in San Francisco but coming to our current times, there is an organization called the Alliance of South Asians Taking Action (ASATA) that was started in 1999. They started out with responding ot human trafficking, labor exploititation, and gender-based violence. Post-9/11, they began running Know Your Rights workshops for community members if FBI agents attempted to question you. This organization also partnered with non-South Asian American organizations against racialized surveillance. In 2013, Oakland started a surveillance system called the Domain Awareness Center (DAC). This program had over 700 cameras in schools and public housing that used facial recognition software and automated license plate readers. ASATA worked with other organizations, and ultimately, the program was confined to the Port of Oakland. The use of facial recognition and license plate reading software was prohibited after this movement. The city then created Oakland’s Privacy Advisory Commission for citizens to be able to protect their own privacy; Sahiba Basrai, an ASATA member, chaired this commission. Overtime, this organization has been integral in the area to keeping the voices of people of color alive. They worked with the Asian Pacific Islander Coalition Against the War, Justice in Palestine coalition, and the SF Anti-War Coalition. 

South Asian Americans have had much to rise up from and face in this nation’s history—making our contributions all the more notable. Vivek Bald, a historian and filmmaker, explains the Bellingham Riots on September 4th of 1907 in Time Magazine that this marked the first “known incident of large-scale, organized anti-South Asian violence in the United States.” This attack was launched in Bellingham, Washington where hundreds of white workers searched the town for Indian immigrants. They attacked laborers, predominantly Punjabi Sikh men, working in Bellingham lumber mills. Their bunkhouses were set on fire, their possessions and passports were stolen from them, and they were beaten. What was the result of this attack? Congress passed the 1917 Immigration Act, banning Asian labor migrants from entering, and the Indian immigrant lumber workers in this community left, walking into Canada, in fear of their own safety. 

This is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Part of our South Asian American Heritage is the pain and discrimination we have suffered and the discrimination that our community was built upon. Each time I write a blog like this, I am learning something new as I am doing my research. Understanding the background our community is from here helps me understand all that we had to overcome to get here. It makes me all the more proud in embracing our heritage and how far we have come. Now, organizations like South Asian Network fight not just for ourselves, but for people in all communities in our region to live safer and more peaceful lives.