SUMMARY KEYWORDS
people, south asian, queer, feel, trans, chicago, community, question, lgbtq, love, awesome, person, identity, places, queerness, mom, experienced, indian, kids, growing

00:00
So what are your name and pronouns?

00:02
My name and pronouns? My name is Noopur. And my pronouns are he him currently?

00:06
Awesome. And do you identify as part of the LGBTQIA plus community?

00:10
Immensely? Um, I am a lesbian sometimes I'm gay sometimes I'm pansexual always and queer always and I'm trans.

00:20
Awesome. When and where were you born?

00:24
I was born in Houston, Texas in 1994. Awesome. I was also born in Houston. Oh, really? Yeah. Amazing. Yeah, we're at

00:36
the like, the hospital,

00:37
or just the area. Do you know?

00:39
Um, I don't really remember. I remember. It was a, like, sort of in the suburbs of Houston. Oh, gotcha.

00:45
Okay. Yeah, I think meet you, man. It's like a mind like some president's name, I think.

00:50
Yeah, I think mine too. Yeah. Cool. Wow. Very cool. Yeah. And what is your ethnic background? Um,

00:57
I am. Both my parents are from Gujarat, India. And so I identify as Indian Indian American. And first gen two.

01:08
Awesome. Me too. Awesome. And so why did you decide to come to Chicago from Houston or wherever you were, you know, before Chicago.

01:18
Oh, um, so I actually grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. When I was born in Texas, my mom was looking to do her residency over again because she didn't India and had to redo it in the States. And so she got into a program in Chicago so that's when we moved when I was like, maybe a year year and a half old. And but then we moved to the burbs pretty quick after my mom commuted. So I decided to move back to the city on my own for college, and then I'm currently up north near divan near Rogers Park, where it's like incredibly queer and, and suburb ish, but also close to the lake and homey. So

02:01
I love it. Yeah. Awesome. So we can talk more about your neighborhood and a few seconds, I want to talk about family background. And growing up, that was a amazing segue into that. And so what do you remember about growing up? How would you describe your childhood and those developmental years?

02:17
Oh, how would I describe my childhood? I'm restricted acculturated, performing whiteness. I think when I think of my childhood, I think of a lot of like, disconnecting from culture, right? My mom had like this big desire to keep it and maintain it, my dad did not, my dad kind of ruled the house in a lot of ways that are dominant. So I remember that culturally, culturally about childhood. Other than that, I just remember, all I think about as like identities, so I just remember being like, a boy, all the time, dressing like it, acting like it, whatever that means a desire to play with more boys, toys, whatever that means. And that being like, shamed and pushed away to. So I remember a lot of that. I remember negative things, honestly.

03:18
Yeah. Gotcha. Um, do you remember what your dreams were at that time doing or what inspired your dreams question?

03:26
I don't remember as a kid, but I do remember as like an early adolescence, I and I speak pretty openly about this in my bio to that, like, I had my own mental health journey and suicide attempt and things that kind of led me to this place. So my dreams were to be in the medical field. I think that was like, my mom's in it, saw her help people. People loved her so much. And like, we're very similar. So I was like, that feels right up my alley. But then it shifted to the medical field in a therapy way. Yeah, because I had my own experience. So it was very, like, this person, my therapist at the time impacted me so beautifully, that I also wanted to, like offer that to kids like me, and now I do,

04:14
which is really cool. Yeah, that is really cool. And we can talk a lot more about that in a couple minutes. So you, you talked about your emerging expression, and that it was mostly received negatively. Did you find any outlets to sort of confer that expressions in a way that it wasn't received with, you know, rejection?

04:34
Yeah, I joined like my school GSA when I was in middle school. I think I gravitated towards queer people, but I didn't know that they were I think it was more. They were. I was considered a rebel. Not only by my parents, but by many and so I think I hung out with like that crowd and they ended up being a lot more interesting. Folks, so there was safety in that. Also, can I swear in here? Yeah, go for it. I think there was also an element of like, I didn't give a fuck at some point, I just kind of expressed myself as I wanted to, to some degree. And it still did come with like negative shit. But I grew up in a very, like, white rich neighborhood or town. So it was to be expected. But I stood up, I think that's like, the way I remember it to

05:31
Gotcha. And did standing out make you feel empowered when you were restricted at home? Or did it make you feel a bit more safe, or maybe the opposite?

05:42
All the above, I think it made me feel safe, sometimes unsafe, sometimes, I think it made me feel empowered sometimes. Mostly when I was out in the world, but when I was at home made me feel like less powerful, because I it's one of those experiences of like, when you finally know what you can do, and like what's out there that when you like, go back into your box, it's even tighter. So it felt like that it felt like very powerless at home.

06:07
Right. Awesome. And so we could talk a lot more about you know, race and ethnicity and that cultural background, and you talk a lot about that in your bio with like acculturation and assimilation. And that's a lot of what the work you do today. How do you think that your ethnic background as an Indian presented any unique challenges or opportunities when it came to developing that LGBTQ plus identity that you were talking about earlier?

06:32
Oh, wow. That's such a good question. It. Okay, I'm a metaphor, person. And visually, so what it felt like how the two existed together was they didn't departmentalized at the beginning. So very much felt like a zip up hoodie that wasn't zipped up, fully separated. And over time, it got further and further apart. And that showed up in like, me feeling further apart from my family who I grew up with, like 30 cousins, right, like, your entire community was always together all the time. So I've been like, pulling away from that as I've been exploring my queerness in high school and college. So that's how I like noticed, I was further away from my mom who like I'm really close with now. And just Indian people in general, like there's internalized racism around being an Indian person. And I felt like if I was Indian, and I couldn't be queer, and if I was queer, then I couldn't be Indian, right. But just recently, over the past couple of years, I've been trying to zip up this hoodie, right? So I'm like, both, because I'm intersectional. Both can exist. It's just hype to find out how. So that's kind of what it's looked like,

07:46
through the nose. That's an amazing metaphor. Thank you. Yeah. And so I'm curious about whether you experienced any social acceptance or rejection within the LGBTQ plus community. I know, within kids my age, it's very, you know, whites, right. And so it just, it sometimes feels a little bit alienating to like, be that one brown face out there. And so I'm curious what your experiences with that have looked like.

08:11
Yeah, I mean, very similar in that it's very white. And, well, I will say it's hard, right, professionally and personally, like, personally, I don't see a lot of people like me. South Asian in particular, like South Asian trans mass people, or just South Asian trans people, in general, seem to be either closeted, not out, not in community, or there's just a few of us. But professionally, it's really frustrating. Because it's only me, I, I know one other South Asian trans man who's like, 10 years older than me, who just happens to be my therapist, because that was the only other person right. But professionally, it's really hard because we get very I don't know if it's because like, I marketed myself correctly, or whatever it is, but like the people that are moving in, and we're getting intakes from or like a lot of people like us and like me. So that's frustrating on that end, but in community. I don't know. It feels isolating, but I'm very much an extrovert, so I don't know. It doesn't bother me too much. I just wish we were out there more.

09:26
Yeah, for sure. What about within the South Asian community? Have you experienced any of those feelings of isolation maybe or the opposite of acceptance?

09:36
Oh, I hear what you're saying too. I think um, no. Yeah. No, I have yet. If anything, the opposite. I have a very small like queer South Asian. They see, like a few of us that we hang out. And we watch like Bollywood movies and Indian food and like it's the opposite of rejection, but I think the rejection exists from like more of our privileged white, gay, queer people, even white trans people to there's like a power play and and like a performance of performative advocacy. So I do notice that too, but I'm not but and I also just like love people so much, so I'm willing to see past something sometimes. To my detriment.

10:31
Yeah, I'm the same way. And definitely is not. No, it's working in my favor. I'm curious, are you involved in any South Asian specific LGBTQ plus organizations or groups like that? I know, you mentioned you know, a friend group may be but does it go further than that?

10:48
Um, I mean, I go to like, try Cohn and Jay. Jay, who is part of tricon, which is my job is like, specifically for South Asian people try cones for Asian people in general. So like, I go to their events, but I'm not. I wouldn't say I'm like a community leader in that space. I'm more of a community leader in my work professionally, and also like, at the gym that I work out at? Because it's a Trans and Queer owned an Asian Trans and Queer owned. Gym.

11:23
Oh, that's great. Oh, it's

11:25
fucking amazing. And I'm, I've been going there for two years now. I'm like, people like to say I'm the mayor of the the gym, I would say it's true. So yeah, that's kind of I don't really hold much leadership around the South Asian queer community too much.

11:44
Gotcha. And so you remember you, I mean, you mentioned coming out earlier, right? And that process, right? So could you tell me a little bit more about when you were first aware of your sexual identity and the steps you took to, you know, share that with others?

11:57
For sure. Take a map. Um, I first. So I didn't have language, I didn't have language until I was maybe 13 or 12. around just like, queerness in general, it's like, I dress differently than people. I don't find guys like attractive. What's happening here? Or like, why am I wanting to physically touch like, just like, you know, like, physically touch? Female stem presented people more, right? Like, like, what is this like, magnet attraction thing I didn't know screen. So like, maybe I'm just weird, whatever. And then I was 14, when I 1213. Language 14, when I came out for the first time, I came out to my mom in a conflict. So hence the rebel, right? Just to pull her off, so I came out as bisexual at 14. Once I did it with her, I was like, Okay, well, now I'm out. And I explored my bisexuality, but I generally was just with women. Then I came in as a lesbian, I was 20. But the kicker is when I came out as trans, because I'm realizing that a lot of my adolescence of being attracted to men, but not sexually was a desire to be like them. And so that's been like our full kind of circle. I'm realizing for myself, I'm like, Okay, well, I never wanted to like be intimate. But I really loved the way they looked. Right. Yeah. So that was, that's been fascinating, too. So that's when like, my very SparkNotes version of my trajectory coming out.

13:40
Awesome. Do you ever wish that you did anything differently with that process? Or do you think that that's how it evolved naturally?

13:50
You know, I feel like those are two separate questions. I feel like it did naturally evolve. And I think that makes sense into who I am. Now. Do I wish I did things differently? To make it easier, maybe yes. But to get me to where I am today, no,

14:08
right? Yeah, for sure. Yeah. 100% Do you think any cultural factors influenced how you came out? Or when you came out? Or who you came out to?

14:17
Yeah, for sure. Yeah. Well, it depends on the time. Coming out is by was like, whatever. I think everyone knew. I don't know. That's like annoying, but I think everyone really did no, and then come out as a lesbian was like, Yeah, done. Uber is obviously like dating all these people. And that makes sense. But it was coming out as trans. That was the one I was affected by being South Asian the most, which was, how do I tell my family? Not just my mom, not just my dad. I don't talk to just my brother, but like, everybody within my community, and I think I underestimated them essentially. I was I internalized Be like conservative transphobia. You know, I'm never gonna be able to go back to India again. Can you? For a minute. So instead of coming out to my family, I came on the internet first. And I did that in 2019. And I did not come out to my family until last year.

15:21
Awesome. So yeah. So yeah, for sure. And how do you think coming out on the internet and using the internet, you know, for those identity exploration purposes? A Did you like, when you could look at it now because I know for me, I remember when I was 13. I played tennis. Like, that's my sport. And I remember I was playing outside and there was this, like, 19 year old guy, and I think he, like, took off his shirt or something. And I was like, you know, and I'm like, Hello. Yeah, I was like, wait, I can't do that. I'm 13. And also, why is it that the man and so I remember consulting the internet after that, and continuing to for maybe like, three years before I was like, Okay. So how do you think, you know, you utilize the internet, you know, further than just coming out online? And how to coming out online help you when it came to really solidifying that identity? That's a good question.

16:15
I I think it naturally is like, someone who's an extrovert, and also really good at like, Well, I think this is now I think I'm good at marketing myself now, before coming on the internet was just to be held. Did I know I was going to be? No, I definitely like, took a risk. I'm an impulsive person. So there was a moment where I was just like, bucket. It is who I am. Right? What's the harm? Honestly, nothing. I already posted myself and like, share and invite people in. So what's this, like invitation as well. And so I did, and I was surprised, but also not surprised that a lot of people resonated. And also, just like, there were some people who I even feared wouldn't even get it or like, wouldn't support me or wouldn't see me like did. And the opposite happened to people where I was like, you'll get it and they didn't, right? Like that, of course comes with the territory. But it really helped propel me in communities, everything to me. So like, it really propelled me into these spaces of like, once I came out, I was like, This is who I am. Like, it, made it real. And then I just started like, looking for other people who look like me on the internet, people in Chicago, that type on my gym, all this shit. I was like, I just now know who I am. So I now want to engage with like, people like, that's

17:39
awesome. And I'm curious. What platform did you use to come out on?

17:43
Oh, Instagram. Okay, awesome. Yeah, yeah. And I still primarily use Instagram is like my main connective source.

17:50
Yeah, it's pretty good. For those reasons, I do think, is getting worse in some ways. But absolutely. And I wish you know, they would do something about that. Such a, you know, just

18:02
shadow banning a bunch of trans people of color. Yeah, like queer people. Yeah. And there's so much other bullshit, of course, but like in specific to like me. Yeah, the shadow ban, like a lot of us. Yeah, it's really annoying. Oh, it's horrible. Yeah. I just become more annoying. No, I'm like, You're annoying. So I can

18:22
I can be more annoying. Exactly. Yeah. Awesome. And so we talked about community and Chicago specifically. And that's a great segue into my Chicago questions. And so I'm in Chicago, I've been asking people that I've met interviewing, what are some places of notable personal value or interest to them, as both are either an LGBTQ plus person or a South Asian person, and people have given museums, beaches, locations like that, but also more abstract locations, like those jail parties or because those do float around the city or somebody's house or just a neighborhood, things like that? Do you think there's any locations or places that you can think that are that have value to you in that way?

19:07
Yeah, I can think of a lot of places. Anything that my friend who's also a drag queen RBG, anything that she hosts is brown, queer, trans, beautiful, always. So she hosts boots. She hosts dimsum in drag, which is for its Asian in general, but it's all Asian performers, and it's like, very, very beautiful. Also, the Jayco events are like incredible in that way. So when I think of like events and like places to go, those would definitely be it. I think sometimes in boys time, you can catch some of these folks. I think generally I avoid Boystown, because a lot of sis gay men who are fine, but I don't fully feel like it's my space. I would say a couple of those people's houses to feels like a safe place. Or just like being around. I don't know, it's like, is it the location? Or is that the people? Right? It's like the grandness. Right, right around me, is palpable and beautiful. So. So in that I'm thinking of like, Hollywood beach. I go there a couple times a week at like, 637 in the morning. And that's like a place. For me. I'm even thinking like, that question can be specific to me, like, where are my places, even if they are like South Asian, right? centered. So that's one of my places. I love walking around divan, just do the smells, the noises, the language,

20:53
that's amazing. The people

20:55
who are ready to hit by cars, right? Like it's a shit show. And it's like, this 5% mirrors India's insanity around driving, but I love I love it. So that's like really great. Just going to my mom's house, her cookie me my favorite meals from growing up, right? Hmm. Yeah, I think that's, I'm sure there's more but I think that's at the top of my head what I can think of

21:28
Yeah, that's an awesome list. And so when I'm when we're thinking about belonging, and sense of freedom or acceptance in Chicago, what are some thoughts that come to mind? Do you feel that you belong in Chicago and that you can be open and authentic?

21:42
Yeah, I think I, I always had an inkling that I would be in Chicago forever. But as I've been establishing myself, and by that, I mean, like all the people and things and experiences that have like, Come to me, and I've come to have solidified it. I I could not imagine living here. Yeah. Yeah, I'm a community sloth. I just like literally want to be around people all the time. And I have built that here. So yeah, she kind of feels like it's it.

22:17
Yeah, that's awesome. I know. I'm really sad to have to leave it for do you want to leave? I'm I mean, most of my schools that I'm looking at aren't in the city. So

22:26
yeah. Are they in Illinois? Are they like, out of out of state? I have three

22:30
that aren't Illinois, but most are on the east coast. So I would, you know, end up

22:37
are the ones the other ones like suburb, like Benedictine and mid Midwestern, and she'll like that.

22:42
It's like Northwestern and like through Chicago and like those kinds of schools. Yeah. They're not really bad. I mean, a bad it's a good it's a good it's a safety. Yeah, no, it's like in the middle of nowhere. Yeah, like corn. GPS kids, like, that's just where they go, like I saw, like, 60% of all kids just hop the car train to Urbana, and then four years. Yeah, that's right. Yeah, that's Yeah, it's crazy. And so I want to talk about your career, because I'm really interested in your career. And so can you tell me more about what you do every day? And how working with you? I read in your bio, that it says you do work a lot with queer kids of color, and people who are having maybe the same issues that you potentially had growing up? Does it? How does it make you feel to help them in a position of you know, being a counselor or a therapist, that kind of role? And is that like, like, yeah, how does it make you feel basically?

23:47
I mean, the entire time you asked me that question I have, like chills just built up in my body. It is, there are no words to explain it. I'll start with what like day to day looks like and then how it feels like day to day is a day looks like I see a few clients, I take a nap because I create my own schedule. And then I see more. I run groups and consult with people. But when it comes to the people that I'm seeing, I'm primarily seeing I mean, it feels like a vast amount of people but at the same time, it's not. I see trans adolescents, kids and adolescents and adults I also work with specifically like, I'm trying to hone in my caseload for queer and trans people of color, whether they be kids, adolescents or adults. I do have a lot of those. How it makes me feel

24:45
I feel immense gratitude for their existence and for them trusting me. I feel full. I feel emotional. I think. I think I feel in my was not from a place of, if I had me growing up what would that have been like? And so I come from that perspective, and, and framework when I work with my kids, which is just like, amazing. And they teach me so much. So I just like feel, I feel like really full. I also feel very frustrated and sad for maybe even with time around resources and access and joy and perception of them. Right, like, right. And it's hard. And I think the sadness also like I internalize too, a little bit, which I guess I've one example of of that, if that's cool. Yeah,

25:44
for sure. Cool.

25:45
So just like, last year, a year and a half ago, last January 2021. I had an 11 year old trans kid who attempted suicide. And I attempted suicide it like 1314 15. I don't know. Yeah. And so that was a moment of, oh, shit, this is close. This is really close. And so as this kid, as I'm like navigating, stabilization with the kid, I'm also like, navigating civilization with myself as a kid. Because I haven't processed that for myself either. And so as we're moving through that, what's really cool is, and this just like, is a, a reflection of why I love this so much. I have been able to, like heal myself and my kids self through working with these kids. Because when I say like, Yes, I'm helping them. I also are when I say that they're helping me like, I mean, it really does feel. I'm sure they would say the same about me. But like, it does feel like they give me so much. There's so much healing in that for myself. And this year, that same kid starting HRT The reason he wanted to die is because he got his period. And it was incredibly dysphoric

27:02
I can imagine,

27:03
right? It's just like Insanity. I mean, insane. He's a login, right? So it's like, emotional regulation and understanding of the world is like, tiny so that's such a big fucking deal for him. Yeah. But this year starting your tea, he's like doing really amazing. I just started eight months ago, started hormone therapy. And so like, it's just I don't know, gratifying. Beautiful, incredible.

27:29
Yeah, that's amazing. Thank you for sharing that. That's amazing. Thank you is besides shaping your clientele? How else has your LGBTQ plus and South Asian identities shaped your career?

27:42
It's gotten me into the doors that I've gotten into whether that be for a at the practice I used to work at it was for a face. It was for a brand face on the website. The practice I work at now it is truly about me. Right. So I think in a lot of ways, whether it be negative or positive, it's impacted my profession, my professional development in my career. I think my queerness allows me to be loud. Yeah, for sure. And I think that's done a lot for me. And for me with me. That's a good question. I feel like it's impacted me in so many ways. In my career, it it's why I honed it's like why I'm why I'm doing therapy in the first place. Right. I came out and I was like, Shit, I hate everything. And now I'm here where? Yeah, I just feel like that was like the steppings dual stepping stone. I don't know. Stone. You got it. Thank you, like stepping stool. That doesn't make any

28:51
sense. Else people say is that? Yeah.

28:55
I don't know why people make up some weird shit. I know. Oh, my God. Right, you did that?

29:02
Yeah. Yeah, I know. For me, I gravitated towards the medical fields, but also like, you know, like nonprofit community service kind of work because my family like, instilled the value of community at a young age, but I think it was without thinking about it. Like we used to have family dinner every day at the same time eating the same thing. Like,

29:22
literally connecting. Yeah, like us talked. Oh, no.

29:28
It was it was like it was silent. Like it was. And I'm like, This is not how when I go to my white friends houses like they are like, but we use silence just staring at our food and each other. And then it was really funny, but it was just being together. I think that taught me the importance of connecting, I guess and that kind of made me gravitate towards the fields where you know, I can have direct interaction with people. Yeah.

29:53
You said you're going into the medical field of what specific like, what's your desire?

29:58
Yeah. So I have I Actually a lot of things floating around in my head because I think med school is the big kind of if right now, like that's a big commitment, a commitment. Yeah. And so it depends. I have like two alternative timelines in my head. And so one of them is that I undergrad in like, you know, biology and then go to med school and eventually, I want to become like an infectious disease doctor, and so specialize in LGBTQ plus health, but also like just general disease. Oh, yeah, that's the first one. And because I love Epidemiology and Disease, and

30:30
I've always Wow, this monkey pox thing going around.

30:33
I'm actually doing research on that right now. Yeah. So I'm like, I love disease. And all these you know, pandemics and outbreaks and stuff are giving you a lot to work with some silver lining. So the second one is I major in public policy undergrad, and then, you know, maybe go, you know, more of a leadership role, maybe in some organization or some somewhere like that, or maybe even governmental. But so I probably specialize in health policy. That's what I'm also interested in. So, you know, there's so different. Yeah. And so we like

31:13
doing the same, like, general health field. But they feel like such a different way to approach it.

31:18
Yeah. And so I've done both in high school so far. And so I'm just trying to, you know, feel it out and decide before I apply this summer or this fall, and so

31:27
it makes sense. Do you go to undergrad this year, next year,

31:30
next year? So I'll zoom in a little bit. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, for sure. And I can like speak to as many people as I need to. Sort of it's

31:36
amazing. Yeah, yeah. Also undergrad, you can still play? Yeah, yeah,

31:41
for sure. Yeah, I'm excited for that. Because med school will be one job. Yeah. Yeah. Awesome. And so just a couple of questions. Yeah, so I know, growing up, mostly informed by my family and culture, I felt a lot of things about my identity. A lot of it was shame being limited depression, but I also felt really unique. Because when it came to my Indian friends, there wasn't, you know, a gay man. And there, there wasn't a queer person. And that kind of separated me from them. And also, it helped me create friends elsewhere, with other, you know, queer folks in my school, and they could relate to me. What are some things that your identity and orientation as you know, a queer trans person, how does that make you feel? What are some emotions that you would connect to? You know, that part of your identity? Joy? Yeah, for sure.

32:35
It's like, and on the other end of that, it's like immense fear. I think I feel both always like, I feel a significant because right, when you speak to the uniqueness of who we are to write, especially in our culture, especially in our culture, and our communities, it makes you stand out, it makes

32:56
you look scary. Yeah,

32:58
it's scary as fuck, and it's also so joyful. Like, when you lean into that, right, and something that I always, I don't know, if I preach this, I think it's just a it's just a statement that I I have experienced, and now I feel like it's very true, which is, as your joy expands, so does your fear and sadness. And so the more that my joy has, like, been evolving, and beautiful, so has like, my fear and sadness, just generally too. But I think those are all the fields, feelings that are hold at once. But my fear doesn't feel debilitating. My sadness isn't really militating It just feels like it's part of the ride.

33:40
Right? For sure. Yeah, it's this exact same for me. Yeah, and it's like, about, you know, coming to terms with that, and learning to carry them together, I think is what I've been learning over the past few years. And it's really, really, you know, absolutely awesome. When that Yeah. And I know, pride is a big part of our community, obviously. Right? So what are some things that make you feel proud every day or about yourself?

34:06
Oh, my relationship to my body being positive, finding beauty and myself. And therefore then in others like me, right? Because when we have internalized fat phobia, racism, all that shit, right, then we also perceive the other people in the same way. So that's like, reframed a lot for me. So I'm, I'm proud of that. I feel pride in the family that I'm creating and the ways my wife and I and then like other partners that I have, like are working on changing generational trauma and like shifting how we engage and there's like a lot of intention around that. So I feel proud of me and also like the people in that with me I feel just proud to be I think, I think what what did I read? I think there's something around like, resistance is just being like, if you're just being you're resisting. And that's how I feel every day. I'm like, Yeah, I'm just vibing. You know, like, and whoever has something to say about it that's on you.

35:21
Yeah. Oh, for sure. Yeah. 1,000%. Right. And so before we move on to our last question, are there any topics that you wanted to cover with me or talk about or asking me maybe? Or did you have any questions?

35:34
I don't, but I'll let you. I'll email you if I do. Because I'm also open to like, if you have follow up questions. I literally love connecting with queer South Asian people. That's right. Yeah. So in this moment, no, I do that. Awesome. Yeah,

35:48
no worries. And I will definitely shoot you an email too, if I need to schedule a follow up or anything like that. Perfect. Awesome. And so the last question I have is pretty, pretty standard. If you could give advice to young South Asian, LGBTQ plus people, what would you say?

36:03
Love Don't underestimate yourself, and the people that love you. Give yourself a chance. Because the journey to joy is rewarding in itself. And that you're not alone. You're unique. You're original. You're not alone.

36:32
Awesome. Yeah, that's great advice. I know. I told myself that too. And it's so helpful.

36:38
It is. So I mean, I'm still unlike me do.

36:43
Yeah. Awesome. So that's all the questions I had easing. Yeah. And I know it is almost 11. So I want to let you get the next call.

36:51
Thank you so much.

36:53
Thank you so much for chatting with me. If you have any questions for me, or if I have any for you. I'll definitely shoot you an email and feel free to and I'd love to talk to later so

37:03
yeah, keep me posted. Yeah, let me know. I mean, I know I'm much older than you but like, I don't know. Yeah, I'm always down for a little sibling. You know, whatever. How old are you? 1818.

37:13
Yeah.

37:15
Shit. I'm 28 Oh, my God. Oh, my gosh. full decade. Wow. Well, it literally was so good to talk to you. I appreciate

37:29
you reaching out for a conversation. Yeah, for sure. So have a good day and I'll definitely shoot you an email, if there's anything else that we can do in the future.

37:37
Sounds good. Take care. Bye. Bye.