Every so often, I hear the news through the queer grapevine, an acquaintance, or directly from a friend, that they or someone we know is transitioning. Whether or not I know the person, I feel a sigh of relief, the creep of a smile, and a tenderness in my heart. The process of self-discovery and acceptance can take many years, and the willingness to risk all that is known for all that is true can take even longer. The moment a trans person embarks on this journey is, in my opinion, a great celebration.
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Asian and Pacific Islander LGBTQ+ Resources
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! Before we get on with the post, it’s important to note that these are two groups of diverse people who are very unique in many ways! However, in light of the month, (and mainly due to the fact that a lot of the resources available online are for both groups), here is a compilation of resources for Asian and Pacific Islander LGBTQ+ people! Other masterposts can be found here (and don’t hesitate to add anything if you have resources to contribute)!
GLSEN Pages:
- An article about supporting LGBTQ+ Asian and Pacific Islander Students
- PDF with a timeline of important moments in history for LGBTQ+ Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
- 7 Events in LGBT History to Recognize This Month
- “Why Educators Should Recognize Queer, Asian Identities in School Curriculum,” an article by Becca Mui
Other organizations:
- APIQWTC (Asian & Pacific Islander Queer Women and Transgender Coalition), which provides opportunities for Asian & Pacific Islander queer women and transgender people to socialize, network, build community, engage in inter-generational organizing, and increase community visibility
- NQAPIA (National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance), a network of Asian, South Asian, Southeast Asian, and Pacific Islander LGBTQ organizations
- Asian Pacific Islander Resource Kit by GLAAD (also links to other resources)
Historical information from the US National Park Service:
- Full study
- (Chapter 9) Sexual and Gender Diversity in Native America and the Pacific Islands
- (Chapter 11) Breathing Fire: Remembering Asian Pacific American Activism in Queer History
- (Chapter 18) LGBTQ Civil Rights in America
- Index
Some LGBTQ+ Asian/Pacific Islander Creators:
- Jean Melesaine (queer, Sāmoan, artist, documentary photographer, and one of the founding members of One Love Oceania)
- Ingrid Nilsen (half-Thai, lesbian, beauty vlogger and internet personality)
- Kit Yan (trans/queer, Chinese-Hawaiian, playwright, poet, performer, and lyricist)
- Chrysanthemum Tran (trans/queer, Vietnamese American poet, performer and teaching artist)
- Chella Man (deaf, Jewish-Chinese, genderqueer, artist)
- Patrick G. Lee (queer, Korean-American, journalist and filmmaker)
- Pati Solomona Tyrell (queer, Sāmoan, artist/photographer based in Tāmaki Makaurau)
Other Helpful/Informational Links:
- A collection of links to readings on Asian American gay and lesbian history
- Being Asian/Pacific Islander & LGBTQ: An Introduction (an article by the HRC featuring research regarding important issues in the community, as well as links to other resources)
- Gender Identity and Sexual Identity in the Pacific and Hawai'i
- 10 South Asian LGBTQ Books That Changed My Life (an article by Priya Arora)
- Wikipedia’s Timeline of Asian and Pacific Islander diasporic LGBT history
- Kumu Hina (a documentary about the struggle to maintain Pacific Islander culture/values within modern Hawaiʻi, told through the lens of Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, a Native Hawaiian māhū [someone who embodies both a male and female spirit], and an honored and respected kumu [teacher], cultural practitioner, and community leader)