Season 2, Episode 1: All That Drag with Humza (aka MangHoe Lassi)

Welcome to a brand new season of Queering Desi!

Before we get to today's episode, a brief note from our host:

Hi everyone! Welcome to season 2 of Queering Desi. I want to take a couple of minutes to chat before we get to our first episode. It’s a new year, and we’ve got a new look, but it’s the same old us.

The goal of this podcast from its inception has been to celebrate the multifaceted lives of South Asian LGBTQ people, beyond the labels. We want to elevate the stories of our community and highlight not only the guest’s journey as an LGBTQ person, but also all their other identities, including their work

The response to season 1 was enormous, and we’re so grateful for all who tuned in. This year, we’re taking some of those lessons we learned and going bigger and bolder.

There are things we didn’t get a chance to talk at all or enough about: Caste, Class, Ableism, Sex, Religion and more... There are occupations we didn’t cover: Drag Queens, Chefs, Doctors, and more... There are identities we didn’t get to: polyamorous, two-spirit, asexual, intersex, and more...

These are just examples, and by no means exhaustive. There is such a diversity of identities within our South Asian LGBTQ community, and that means that maybe 1500 podcast episodes won’t be enough. But I wanted a chance to tell you, our listeners, directly: we are certainly going to try like hell.

So, back to season 2: we’ve got a whole slate of wonderful guests lined up, and some IRL events so you can be out and proud with your queer desi fam. We’ll be back every other Wednesday with new episodes, and be sure to hit subscribe, because there might even be some surprises in between. We hope you’ll join us for this insane journey once again.

And last but not least, I want to emphasize: we are ALWAYS open to feedback. Send us an email, a DM, a tweet, a carrier pigeon... whatever you feel comfortable doing. Visibility is a privilege, and for anyone who’s listening who can’t be out or themselves or be safe, you matter and we’re here for you. This podcast is for you. Let’s make it count.

And now, our first guest of Season 2, Humza!

In this episode, Priya chats with Humza, also known as his drag avatar, MangHoe Lassi. The two chat about how he found his love for drag, and what inspires those striking drag looks. Priya asks Humza the secret to his incredible makeup skills, and he shares the inspiration behind his looks. Humza shares his experiences at DragCon and what an important space it has been for him. Later, he gets real about his struggle embracing his Muslim identity in light of his queer identities, and reveals the message he hopes to send to audiences through his art. They wrap up with a discussion of what's next for Humza, including what looks he wants to try next — and the truth about why he recently shaved his head!

In the studio with the one and only Humza!

About the guest:

Humza A. Mian aka Manghoe Lassi is a queer Canadian-Pakistani who currently resides in the GTA. He is a Registered Veterinary Technician who works in the downtown core, and a drag queen who has made a big splash on social media over the last year. The focus of his drag is to bring awareness to the existence of queer Desi folk and breaking the chains of toxic masculinity that hold so many queer Desi’s back from expressing themselves. With the help of brands run primarily by PoC, Humza has branched into the world of commercial makeup artistry and is currently focusing on representing brands that encourage diversity and inclusion. His most current drag looks can be seen on Instagram (@_humzer) and are heavily influenced by his cultural background.

[Photo credit: Hamzah Amin. Queering Desi art: Nafeesa Alibhai and Sabina Pang]