Laks Man MBE is a founder of Gaysians, trustee and LGBTQ+ lead for South Asian Heritage Month has ensured South Asian queer narratives have been interwoven into SAHM's fabric since it launched. He was recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours List 2024 with a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). He also won LGBTQ+ Trailblazer award from British LGBT awards.
In an interview with Asian Voice, Laks spoke about the message his MBE sends to the communities he serves, challenges faced by LGBTQ+ community and much more.
1) What message do you hope your MBE sends to the communities you serve, particularly the LGBTQ+ and South Asian communities?
For me, the message I hope to convey is the importance of being your authentic self. This is something I’ve worked on for many years, ensuring it's safe for me to be authentically me. That means embracing my identity as a South Asian and as a queer individual in all aspects of my life—at work, in my private life, with my parents, family, friends, and during my volunteering activities. The message is that there is space for you to be yourself, just as I have been. Living at the joyous intersection of being South Asian or Desi and being queer is a powerful experience.
My work has helped increase awareness and acceptance, showing that within South Asian communities, there are people who are both South Asian and LGBTQ+. This recognition has shifted perceptions within both South Asian and wider LGBTQ+ communities, acknowledging the presence and contributions of queer South Asians who have long been overlooked.
2) What challenges do LGBTQ+ individuals from South Asian backgrounds face?
I founded Gaysians in 2013, creating a network and collective of charities, organisations, and community groups to challenge tired stereotypes and negative portrayals of South Asian LGBTQ+ communities often seen in media—whether on TV, radio, magazines, or print. These representations rarely capture the true diversity of our lives.
Many struggle to express their true selves due to safety concerns, with phobias like biphobia, transphobia, and queerphobia often posing threats even within their own homes. This can lead to verbal, physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, turning the supposed sanctuary of home into a place of significant risk for LGBTQ+ individuals.
That's why we create community spaces and safe havens where people can be themselves, live authentically, and feel secure. Despite these efforts, we still need to work towards greater awareness and acceptance, showing that being LGBTQ+ is natural and that we are born this way.
Particularly within South Asian communities, it's crucial to recognise that queerness has always been part of our history. South Asian culture has historically embraced queerness within its religions, deities, and temples, depicting diverse sexualities and gender identities. Religious figures have often taken on different forms or returned in various forms, intertwining queerness with South Asian history from the beginning.
It is vital for South Asian and South Asian diaspora communities in the UK to decolonise their minds. British colonialism exported homophobic Victorian-era laws that criminalise homosexuality and were used to oppress LGBTQ+ communities. These challenges are largely self-created, as our rich history includes a tapestry of queerness interwoven with Indian society.
3) How does South Asian Heritage Month contribute to fostering a greater understanding and appreciation of South Asian contributions to British society?
South Asian Heritage Month, now in its 5th year, has rapidly become the UK’s fastest-growing cultural arts and heritage platform, and for good reason. This year's theme, "Free to Be Me," was chosen by public vote. For the first time, we are introducing Focus Fridays, each dedicated to amplifying different aspects of our community.
South Asians are the largest minority community in the UK, with a long history of migration spanning multiple generations and regions. We also have a centuries-old presence in the UK, arriving directly from the subcontinent or through Commonwealth countries like Southern and East Africa, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Fiji, and the Caribbean. Discover more on the South Asian Heritage Month website.
Our mission at South Asian Heritage Month (SAHM) is to celebrate, commemorate, and educate. These pillars raise awareness of South Asian contributions and make our heritage accessible, addressing gaps in understanding due to language barriers or lack of exposure, even among South Asians not raised within our communities.
SAHM's growth has profoundly impacted British society, engaging community organisations, councils, and international corporations, while amplifying authentic South Asian narratives and fostering long-overdue recognition of our heritage.
It's important to recognise the British Asian experience's uniqueness. This is vital for those with South Asian heritage, whether they have South Asian parents or grandparents, were adopted or fostered into South Asian families, or were adopted out into other cultures and communities. Moreover, South Asian Heritage Month is inclusive, inviting participation from everyone, regardless of their heritage.
4) What are your future plans and goals in your various roles, and how do you plan to continue making an impact?
At the moment, I'm in a period of reflection and taking stock of my journey. I've been volunteering for 25 years and working in the inclusion space for about a decade. Ten years ago, while on holiday in San Francisco, I was deeply inspired by the city's public street art and murals. They showcased the intersections of marginalised communities, including queer individuals, people of colour, indigenous communities, working-class communities, trans people, homeless individuals, and sex workers. The rich history of activism and the ongoing fight for these communities moved me profoundly. I felt galvanised, thinking, "When I return to the UK, I'm going to make a difference."
From that inspiration, Gaysians was born, driven by my desire to impact South Asian, queer, and working-class communities. Ten years later, having received numerous awards, I reflect on my journey. I now focus on empowering the next generation of activists and community organisers, mentoring new leaders to ensure our work continues to grow and make a lasting impact.
For South Asian Heritage Month, I've organised a groundbreaking event titled "Desi Lesbians: The Pioneering Women." In collaboration with Queer Britain, South Asian Heritage Month, and DIVA, this event on August 4th will highlight the intersectional stories of pioneering South Asian lesbian women in the UK.
