KNOW YOUR AIQA- Prerna Baruah
Name: Prerona BaruahPreferred name: MikhaelI’m a bisexual non-binary individual. I enjoy discussions more than debates due to the atmosphere that encourages active listening more than active speaking. I’m keen in absorbing experiences and thoughts of people, something like the hobby ‘people-watching’ except I try to get to know them as a person too and I’m not held back by trivialities like irrational norms of communication. I believe it is a huge part of who I am. (Picture of me is attached)
My story: I have always known I was somehow forcefully put against society. It wasn’t my thoughts about society’s faults necessarily, it was just because of something that was a part of me. At first I thought it may be because of my introversion and had a series of misconceptions that followed however I now know what it is. It was my ability to question things before believing in them. The same day I realized that, I also realized I was queer. Not all of it instantly, but surely that part of me that begged to differ when my female classmates would gawk over a well built male as the most attractive person while I stared at the fascinating non-binary presenting individual in an upcoming movie teaser. I’ve definitely had a smoother journey of coming out to people around me as I’ve not come across a single person who hasn’t accepted me for who I am. I understand I’m extremely privileged, even if my self discovery journey was no short of tears and anger.
My reason to join AIQA: I wish to be able to exist without having to explain myself, without needing explanations from others about how they live, and exist without worrying about the safety of another person whether it is because they are gay, bisexual, transgender, non-binary but most importantly, because they have the courage to be true to themselves. Nobody deserves to “tone down” who they are and definitely not reach a point of history where pride becomes necessary to convince humans to act on their humanity. All of this is possible if we join hands as a community, and have organized aims and objectives to bring a good change in this society.
