Know your AIQA-Tia Ghosh

My name is Tia Ghosh.
I am 15 years old, my pronouns are she/her. I love reading YA fiction and I’m really interested in Psychology/Philosophy as a career. I am still discovering myself but I identify as bisexual and I am a pro-choice feminist.
My story is that I was born in a homophobic environment and for most of my childhood I was told that gay people deserve to die. Younger me kept asking these people why they deserved to die but no one ever had an answer. I moved to Delhi in the middle of 7th grade, and I was sent to an all-girls convent school. When I finally made friends, they introduced me to the music and books I had never read before. I started being overly obsessed with some of the female characters and musicians. But as it turns out, I wasn’t “overly obsessed”. I simply found them attractive, but I thought that liking girls was wrong. Until I had a major crush on one of my friends. I felt extremely guilty. I didn’t know who to speak to about these feelings, I was scared that my friends would call me a ‘lesbian’ and never talk to me again. I didn’t understand that being a lesbian or just liking girl is nothing wrong. I tried to talk to my stepmother about this who dismissed me and told me to stay quiet. This led to my depression and anxiety.Finally, I talked to one of my friends about it who gave me a hug and helped me understand that it’s okay. Currently, I am out and proud of my sexuality, and I want to help others in people in whatever way possible. I want to be who my friend was for me.This is why I chose to be a part of AIQA because I don’t want another young child to feel scared and isolated because of liking someone and/or their gender identity. 
(Attached is a picture of me.)

Lots of love, Tia Ghosh.