TO BE SEEN IS TO BE KNOWN
The Queer Asian community exists but is not visible. We are not visible in Western Media or many other ordinary spaces and, in my experience as a Queer South Asian woman, it has made it difficult to find a sense of belonging or community. When we are not seen, we are not known. That sense of loneliness is overpowering. Rarely are all Asian ethnicities recognized. And just as rarely are all identities of queerness celebrated, especially within Asian representation. This project was born out of a somewhat selfish desire to find a community and place of belonging as a Queer Asian.
The Queer Asian Social Club started out as The Gaysian Project. A community that had its roots in a conversation about Queer Asian Representation in the media. In 2018, I developed a panel for a queer fandom convention to explore Queer Asian Representation in the Media. The intent was to create a space where Asians and Queer Asians talk critically about the lack of meaningful representation in Western Media, and, most importantly, where Queer Asians were visible. We presented the panel at the convention in Las Vegas to a standing-room-only audience, which was incredible. I am still reeling from how powerful it was to feel seen as Queer and Asian, and to find a sense of community with other Queer Asians and allies. To go from not seeing myself in the media and feeling as if my identifies were only meaningful as tokens to feeling seen and known? I still don't have the words to describe the power and effect this experience created. Throughout the weekend people at the convention came up to my fellow panelists and me to share their experiences as Asians and Queer Asians, and emphasized for me that we need to be more visible to foster a greater sense of validation and community. And so, this community was born.
It has been incredible to watch our community grow over the past two years. What started out as a panel on representation at a small queer convention in Las Vegas has grown into a platform where new stories and faces from our queer and trans-APISWAD (Asian-Pacific Islander-Southwest Asian-Desi) family were celebrated through podcast episodes, events, and Instagram takeovers. It became a platform where we proudly wear our identity; where we built a space in which our visibility empowered each other around the world and helped so many of us feel less alone in our identities.
We have been wanting to make this space even more community-focused. While The Gaysian Project will always hold a special place in our hearts, we wanted an identity that complemented our vision and is more inclusive of the myriad of beautiful identities that are a part of our queer and trans community. The Gaysian Project was a name that fun, concisely captured our humor, but also wasn’t completely inclusive.
I rarely identify as gaysian and I know many folks don’t either. Creating a space that is inclusive is important, and equally important is that the name of that space is inclusive as well – and represents something where we hope folks will feel that their identities are more fully celebrated.
As such, we are now the Queer Asian Social Club focusing on sharing and celebrating stories of individuals and activists in our community through our weekly web-zine DIS-ORIENT, our instagram page, and our podcast the Queer Asian Podcast Club! While our name is changing, the core of who we remains the same. We are a collective that is focused on using visibility to empower community for queer and trans-APISWAD folks.
We are here to be seen and known.
with love,
Maya Satya Reddy
MEET THE TEAM
MAYA SATYA REDDY
FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
SHE/HER
To quote a recent review of our podcast, “to the ears, she’s just a girl from Southern California” Maya is the founder of the Queer Asian Social Club, a queer Desi, former professional golfer, LGBTQ+ sports law and policy expert, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and most importantly Genovia’s Secretary of State.
Maya founded the Queer Asian Social Club in 2018 out of a somewhat selfish desire to find community and a sense of belonging as a Queer Asian. QASC was born as a way to feel seen and known, to find family, and to celebrate all the nuances and beauty of being queer and Asian—a space where she has finally found belonging. Maya is definitely the team member posting on Instagram about kombucha being Asian culture.
JEMARC AXINTO
CHIEF WELLNESS OFFICER
THEY/SHE/HE
Jemarc is a Filipinx, Nonbinary, Trauma Recovery Coach and Wellness Consultant, and QASC's Chief Wellness Officer who supports others in their journeys at the intersection of science and spirituality. They have dedicated over ten years of their life to the actualization of a mind, body, and spirit no longer withheld by trauma, labels, and roles. They’ve turned this deep study into an alchemical process to empower everyone they meet into actualizing their most authentic selves and radically rewiring their brains to heal trauma at its root in the nervous system. They have taken these years of development and supported people globally as a coach, as well as numerous institutions as a consultant and facilitator like Harvard, Rowan Medical School, Medidata, The Asian Mental Health Project, and more. Jemarc’s unique approach to healing is one that does not reject anyone so long as they keep their hearts open to the innate qualities of love, kindness, and compassion within themselves. They believe that healing isn’t about restricting oneself to one path, but rather about finding your own path on the path.
@JEMARCAXINTO
TANSU PHILIP
COMMUNITY DIRECTOR
SHE/HER
IVAN LEUNG
SCREEN & STAGE OUTREACH DIRECTOR
HE/HIM
Ivan is an accomplished actor, filmmaker and is passionate about growing and supporting queer Asian film and television story tellers and projects. His debut feature film, Extremely Unique Dynamic—distributed by Strand Releasing—was nominated for a Queerty Award for Best Comedy Film, played the first-ever weeklong Vidiots premiere, and won the prestigious Future/Now Filmmaker Award at the Montclair Film Festival.
Ivan is best known for his standout performances in both television and film, boasting an impressive résumé that includes acclaimed shows such as The Sex Lives of College Girls, Grey’s Anatomy, The Goldbergs, Superstore, and Good Girls. He also appeared in the SAG Award–nominated film The Tender Bar (directed by George Clooney), co-starring alongside Ben Affleck and Tye Sheridan. He will next be seen starring in the highly anticipated film SKILLHOUSE, from Josh Stolberg (the writer of Saw X).
Beyond acting and filmmaking, Ivan is celebrated for his comedic rap skills, notably showcased in the viral hit Taco Loving Asian Guy.
ERIK SHAM
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
THEY/THEM
Erik is a queer, non-binary & neurodivergent Chinese community activist, nanoinfluencer & social media manager from Los Angeles, CA. In the midst of the anti-Asian attacks in 2021, they were featured in a photojournalist’s viral photo that took place at Love Our Communities rally in Little Tokyo, which gained attention in mainstream media. That same year, they joined QASC as a volunteer to assist with Jamie Issuh’s creative events & contributed to her efforts in building a Queer Asian community, both online & in-person. In February 2023, they were appointed as a social media manager to develop & implement social media strategies based on trends to build engagement & have revamped QASC’s profile into a radical queer liberatory platform to create a better inclusive Queer Asian community.
In abolition spaces, they believe that their work uplifts the liberatory practices of queer liberation, disability justice & racial solidarity in the pursuit of dismantling all forms of repressive systems & bring path to a non-Western world
RICHELLE BANAS
CONTENT PRODUCER
SHE/HER