The Stories of Us: Queer Tamils and Their Experiences Reclaiming Culture and Heritage in Canada

Abstract

“The Stories Of Us” considers the ways that culture, heritage, and rituals come together. This ethnographic study is guided by methodologies of narrative photovoice that speak to the lived experiences of how five 2nd Generation Queer Tamil Canadians living in Toronto/Scarborough reclaim their Tamil culture and heritage as Queer people living in the West. The intersectional marginalization Queer Tamil people face often ostracizes them from both their Tamil community as well as their Queer community. The participants of this study reflected on their identities growing up as well as how they’ve engaged with community at different stages of their Queer journey, speaking to their experiences reclaiming their cultural identity as Queer people. Based on the lived experiences of the participants, this data-based study looks at the creative ways that Queer Tamils take up space and reclaim their cultural heritage as a politically and historically silenced community.