The relationship between Armenian parents and their LGBTQ+ children often ends with a strained relationship or complete loss of family.  Armenian parents and families fear what they don’t know, or what the community deems “unnatural.” Instead, they’d rather hide the truth from themselves and friends by denying the “queer” part of their child.  I gather […]

30 July 2021 | Azad Archives

By: Alexandria Kazandjian To openly say I am a queer Armenian is a privilege I never thought I would have. I have gone from feeling outcast from my community for not speaking Armenian to coming out directly to the Armenian community as a nonbinary lesbian. Understanding identity, whether it be related to ethnicity, gender, or […]

07 July 2021 | Azad Archives

Growing up going to everyday Armenian school, I was made fun of for being feminine. The first time someone called me gay, I was in the first grade. I had no idea what it meant, but from the derogatory tone it was said in, it sounded ‘bad’ and carried so much shame with it. Even […]

03 June 2021 | Azad Archives

My experience growing up queer and Armenian is a set of parallel lines. The first line is my Armenian life: growing up in Armenian church, Armenian grandparents, traditional values soaked in Christian morality.  The second line is my queer life: attending a gifted school, having many queer classmates, coming out when I was 16 and […]

01 June 2021 | Azad Archives