QTPOC Chat: QPOC Peacock Syndrome

Transcript

J: Hi everyone I’m Janani, Assistant Editor Of Black Girl Dangerous.

M: And I’m Mia, Founder of Black Girl Dangerous.

J: And this is QTPOC Chat where we have discussions about topics that are interesting to us and hopefully also interesting to other Queer and Trans* People of Color. So today we are talking about peacock syndrome within QPOC spaces. So, Peacock Syndrome is something that I have definitely experienced as a Queer South Asian, um… who does not meet that many Queer South Asians. Like, we’re pretty rare, kind of unicorn status.

M: (laughs)

J: So this is what happens, right? Usually…you would think that when I meet another Queer South Asian my strategy would be, you know, approaching them, building coalition, being like “yeah yeah we’re the Queer South Asians let’s bond over our shared diasporic histories and our Queerness from the diaspora. Actually what happens is, I usually find myself being like “Oh my God who is that girl taking up space in *my* identity, I am supposed the extra special unicorn one.” I think this happened particularly with my friend Alok, who now tours with me, we do poetry together, et cetera. Anyway when I first met them, they walked into our LGBT center and I was like “Oh my God there’s another Queer South Asian, what is happening?”

M: (laughs)

J: And then they started talking about feminism and sexuality. I was like: “this is supposed to be my jam. Like, no one else is allowed to DO that.” Um, yeah. Eventually I got over it. But there is something about, you know, being extra special and being told that we’re suuuper unique. And especially under a white gaze we’re super unique. Um, yeah!

M. That’s fascinating to me, I have no…I have nothing to contribute to the peacock conversation because, you know, like I see Queer Black folks and Queer femme identified folks and all that stuff like every day all the time. So I don’t have that particular experience. But it’s fascinating.

J: Great! I would love to hear from our readers and whoever else, if you’re a Queer or a Trans* Person of Color who has ever experienced peacock syndrome tell us about it.

M: Yeah, tell us all about it.

J: Whether in a video post or on the Facebook page. Until next time.

M: BYE!

J: BYE!

(both laughing)