Oral History Interview with Suhaila

DESCRIPTION
Content note: description of anti-atheist attacks, bi-phobia, sexism

Suhaila (pseudonym) shares memories of moving to the United States for higher education and then moving back to Bangladesh and organizing around LGBT+ community building in this oral history. She narrates experiences of growing up as a Muslim woman, her evolving relationship with her parents, exploring her sexuality, and grappling with the tensions between her faith and bisexuality. While in the United States, Suhaila describes experiences of cultural difference within South Asian communities and broader society in the U.S. and struggling with mental health issues. Suhaila touches on a range of experiences, including atheism, sexual violence, moving from self-hatred to self-acceptance, engaging in campus activities while grappling with questions of belonging and forming friendships, and living through the fear of the Trump regime. After moving to Bangladesh, Suhaila recounts experiences of initiating an underground LGBT+ community space, building community, organizing mental health support work, and founding another organization that works on gender-based violence. In this oral history, we get glimpses of Bangladeshi migrant’s journey of growing as a queer feminist political organizer for whom queerness is rebellion.

THEMES
Gender & Sexuality

AUDIO
Duration: 01:06:34

ADDITIONAL METADATA
Date: April 18, 2021
Type: Oral History
Source: Archival Creators Fellowship Program
Creator: Efadul Huq
Location: Dhaka, Bangladesh

PROVENANCE
Collection: Efadul Huq Fellowship Project
Item History: 2021-07-09 (created); 2021-07-16 (modified)

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