Just Like Us ambassador Anuli Chanaga reveals how a Bollyqueer dance class changed her relationship with the term ‘South Asian’.
WORDS BY ANULI CHANAGA, A JUST LIKE US AMBASSADOR Sometimes my home smells of freshly baked bread, sometimes I can taste sweet plantain, hot from a pan.
I see beautiful African figures, batiks, and Pride flags. It all feels like home, a part of me. But, when I step outside, I don’t always feel connected to the different facets of my heritage (and rarely all at once).
I have grown up often not feeling enough. Not tall enough, pretty enough, Black enough, Indian enough or queer enough. I’ve tried many labels in my attempt to clarify my identity and belong somewhere (sometimes, anywhere).