Talking to Their Parents about Being Nonbinary

How to Talk to [Mamí & Papí] about Anything

Veda talks about deciding not to speak with their Indian parents about their gender identity. And, Sree Sinha, co-founder of the South Asian Sexual and Mental Health Alliance, helps us figure out when, if, and how to talk about identity and sexuality with loved ones.

Featured Expert:

Sree Sinha is co-founder of the South Asian Sexual & Mental Health Alliance (SASMHA). Sree is a doctoral candidate at the University of Denver, pursuing a PhD in Counseling Psychology specialized in romantic relationships and multicultural counseling. Sree is also a Minority Fellow with the American Psychological Association, having been recognized for her work serving minority mental health needs, especially for South Asian Americans and QPOC (queer people of color). Sree previously worked in community mental health, serving a chronically homeless population with severe and persistent mental illness in Washington, DC. Prior to co-founding SASMHA, she was busy bringing sexual health education to an undergraduate community by founding Sex Week at Maryland. Her passions also include advocacy and awareness around sustainability and environmental psychology. She has been recognized for her leadership and involvement with the 2019 Outstanding Doctoral Leader award, 2015 Wilson H. Elkins Citizenship Award, as well as the Martin A. Taylor Award for Distinguished Service. Sree describes herself as a queer brown cis woman, and more specifically, a Bengali bisexual babe. Learn more about her organization here, and find their podcast, Brown Taboo Project, here.

Sree recommends this UN map on gender and sexuality across time and culture, and this PBS map on diverse genders. If you loved this episode, be sure to listen to Overcoming Shame to Love Who You Are, and Coming Out to My Family.

We’d love to hear your stories of triumph and frustration so send us a detailed voice memo to [e-mail]. You might be on a future episode! Let’s connect on Twitter and Instagram at @TalkToMamiPapi and email us at [e-mail]. And follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and anywhere you listen to your favorite podcasts.