A few weeks ago Aftab Ali, kindly invited me to write a piece for the Glasgow Journal outlining whether I think Asian LGBT are underrepresented in Britain. The short answer is a resounding YES, below’s my article:

It seems there are many people who think being Asian and gay is not possible, so it is important to understand why this way of thinking exists.

Looking at some of today’s gay role models, there is Tim Cook (CEO of Apple), K.D. Lang, Sir Elton John, Ellen and Sir Ian McKellen. But, what do they all have in common? They’re white. Is it surprising then that Asian parents today are ignorant to the idea of Asian gays when only a select few people are glorified in the media?

There is no doubt that, in the future, coming out as an Asian gay will be easier but how can it be made make it easier sooner? It’s simple: we need positive gay Asian role models.

Currently, there is a quirky Big Brother contestant and maybe the odd drag queen. Both aren’t prominent in the media so may never get discussed in an everyday Asian household.

There are many successful Asian gays out there, so why haven’t they come out to make it easier for others?

When I started Gay Sikh—my blog which outlines how homosexuality and Sikhism can co-exist—I received a lot of online abuse. Many claimed I was bringing evil into Sikhism and some even claimed I wasn’t even Sikh and that I was out to tarnish the name of the religion.

The reality of the situation is that, when society is not educated or exposed to something, it is quick to judge and reject it. This is how racism and homophobia continues to exist today.

When I was faced with this homophobia, it was important for me not to show anger, but I was curious as to why people were coming to these decisions. After all, they believe they’re doing right, don’t they?

Unfortunately, some simply wanted to “gay bash” me. For example, I received a graphic tweet from one man who depicted how he was going to torture and kill members of my immediate family after he’d seen my blog.

This is among the reasons why no Asian gays have come into the spotlight. Sadly, it’s the reason I live under an alias. Yes, I want to help others and show them that being gay and Sikh is not a problem and that they’re not alone. But, at the same time, I fear for my safety from the many people out there who need to be educated on such matters.

Only last month, Bobby Friction was not invited to the BritAsia TV Music Awards because he jokingly kissed Hardeep Singh Kohli on stage. Both of these men are heterosexual and were clearly showing their sense of humour. This example only further highlights the fact that homophobia is rife in Asian circles.

So, how can this be overcome? As mentioned earlier, it will get easier as time goes on. In 2008, Indian cinema had a breakthrough when a rom-com film called Dostana showed two straight Indian men pretending to be a gay couple and embarking on hilarious adventures together.

With equal marriage now legal in England and Wales, and soon to be voted on by the Scottish Parliament, it is only a matter of time before this topic gets discussed in Asian households. The only hope is that it will leading to a greater understanding of homosexuality. With this greater understanding, we may just see positive gay Asian role models emerge and, once these role models are established, British-Asian gays will, for the first time, be truly represented.