SALGA volunteers help South Asian LGBTQIA+ community find support and strength in New York City
NEW YORK -- Two New Yorkers shared their inspiring stories after SALGA, a nonprofit dedicated to increasing acceptance of those who identify as LGBTQIA+ and South Asian, helped them come out to their families.
SALGA, an all-volunteer group, started in 1991 and originally stood for South Asian Lesbian and Gay Association.
Maneesh Goyal attended his first peer support group meeting with SALGA almost a decade after its inception.
When his parents immigrated from the Panjab region of India, Goyal's dad opened the first Indian restaurant in the state of Texas.
Decades later, Goyal opened his own Indian restaurant in Union Square, SONA on East 20th Street, as an openly gay man.
"In the India they left there was no out people," said Goyal. "I was deeply closeted when it came to my personal identity and my sexual identity because I really had never seen another candidly Indian gay person."
Goyal said he knew something was different around middle school. In 1999, he moved to New York City. The next year, a friend recommended the monthly support group run by SALGA.
"For the first time in my life, I felt and saw what I had never seen before, people who I really truly didn't know existed struggling with coming out," said Goyal.
Even after joining SALGA, he said it still took him several years to come out to his parents.
"Of course they had expectation and suddenly that vision and that dream was being curtailed," said Goyal. "And so it was hard for some time and then it stopped being hard."
Goyal had the Indian wedding he always dreamed of. Then, he and his partner adopted a child.
Every month, SONA has a family-friendly drag brunch, headlined by South Asian drag queen Malai, who is originally from a small village in India.
"We've had threats of picketers outside," said Goyal. "The lesson is there's a lot of love and joy in this world and it comes in all shapes and sizes. I knew my restaurant was going to be an affirming place, a welcoming place, and inclusive space because that's who I am."
Sudha Reddy, who was born in India and self identifies as a lesbian, had a similar breakthrough experience.
"I pretty much thought that I would end up getting married to a guy just like everybody else," said Reddy.
She found strength through SALGA's monthly peer support group and its social events, like a recent poetry and book reading with two South Asian queer authors.
SALGA also holds cultural celebrations tied to holidays like Holi and Ramadan.
"We had an Iftar party with a few other queer organizations," said Reddy. "People come from all sorts of backgrounds, any Muslim country where there's lots of oppression, just like South Asia there's not the acceptance at the same level it should be."
Reddy, who came out to her family a few years after her first SALGA meeting, had this advice for others who may be afraid to come out.
"Your fear is valid, don't force yourself to come out, do it on your own time," she said. "Be happy in your body. It is a difficult journey but you'll get there."
Reddy said SALGA is always there to lend a hand.
SALGA will be participating in PRIDE parades throughout June. For more information, click here.
