“Growing up, it’s normal for us to take on the values and beliefs of the people that are raising us. For those of us raised with traditional Punjabi values this usually means that we have to believe that our biological sex (‘female’ or ‘male’) determines our life-path, and that a heterosexual marriage with someone from a similar background is something we should all aim for. “

In this first installment of the series, we interview Rajwant Nagra, a mother of two kids both of whom are gay. She shares her journey of acceptance of her kids' identities, how she overcomes the challenges of this new world and helps her husband through the process, and breaks the news to her relatives.

“Language also communicates our identities and for someone born and raised in the UK I have a complicated relationship with the language that my grandparents spoke. Punjabi was my first language until I went to school but gradually, I became less able to speak it. I would make a lot of mistakes trying to speak it to relatives and they would mock rather than encourage me. I can now read Punjabi, but it’s taken effort as an adult and I’m still very much a beginner.”

“LGBTQ+ people are excluded or erased from mainstream Punjabi culture. There is a culture of shame, secrecy and taboo about sex and sexuality and mental illness. Often we’re not encouraged to talk about these things with our families and this can lead to loneliness, isolation and mental ill-health.”

In the second installment of the series, we interview Neelam Kaur, a mother of Angit, who identifies as a lesbian. She speaks in Punjabi about her journey of acceptance and how she broke the news to her husband and acquaintances in the local gurdwara community.

اس پوڈکاسٹ سیریز کی آخری قسط میں، ہم سائمہ سے چیٹ کریں گے جو ہمارے ساتھ اپنے بچوں کی کہانیاں شیئر کریں گی۔

مجھے امید ہے کہ پوڈکاسٹ کی یہ اقساط آپ کے لیے مفید رہے ہوں گے اور اوپن مائنڈز ٹیم نے ساؤتھ ایشیائی والدین کے سفر میں کچھ معنی خیز معلومات فراہم کرنے میں مدد کی ہو گی۔ میں اور ٹیم اب اس وقت کے لیے سائن آؤٹ کر رہے ہیں۔ براہ کرم ہم سے کسی بھی مدد یا تجاویز اور فیڈبیک کے لیے رابطہ کریں۔