Decolonial Resistance of a Muslim Indo-Caribbean (descendant of ancestors who were indentured labourers) Ace

Ace-ness has been invalidated, invisibilized, marginalized and gatekept in 2SLGBTQIA+/Queer spaces and is one of the most misunderstood identities. Smashing heteronormativity includes smashing Cisnormativity along with smashing Allonormativity and Amatonormativity, where all must be done simultaneously. Our Ace identity is not meant to take up space or resources from those who are Trans or more marginalized in Queer spaces because I acknowledge being Ace has privilege. Being Ace simultaneously is externally labeled as being ‘prudish’, ‘simply celibate’, or ‘a choice’ or 'a phase' and vilified as ‘not being human’ or a ‘robot’ or ‘broken’ with mistrust towards a medical field that problematically wants to ‘fix’ us, rather than being seen as a sexual orientation. I refuse to use Ace-phobia because it's not a fear of Aces, it's Anti-Ace, a rejection of our humanity for not embracing the Allonormative aspects of heteronormativity in a hypersexualized world, where Allonormativity is the default monopoly even in 2SLGBTQIA+/Queer spaces. Allonormativity must be smashed, all Ace identities (the whole intersectional spectrum) need to be amplified and celebrated. 

This includes Muslims (especially racialized) who are invalidated, invisibilized, marginalized and gatekept in 2SLGBTQIA+/Queer and Ace spaces, where they are forced to de-center their Muslim-ness since when expressed it is problematically viewed as delegitimizing their 2SLGBTQIA+-ness/Queer-ness, due to white supremacy, colonialism and Anti-Muslim Racism. Yet all intersectional 2SLGBTQIA+/Queer, Ace and Muslim identities are valid simultaneously. Same goes for Indo-Caribbean, Indentured Diasporic, Indian, South Asian, Caribbean etc. Aces, or Ace identities (the whole intersectional spectrum, multiplicity, nuance, range of lived experiences etc.), including those who are Muslim need to be amplified and celebrated.

This piece was created to represent the multiplicity, nuance, range of my lived experiences at the intersection of being Muslim, Indo-Caribbean, or Muslim Indo-Caribbean, a descendant of ancestors who were indentured labourers as well as simultaneously a part of the Caribbean, Indian and South Asian diasporas, while also being Ace. These are all intersectional positionalities themselves and all of these identities are valid simultaneously. These identities were portrayed in my art piece/painting with the images of; (1) raised hands making dua (prayer) to offer hope representing my Muslim identity, (2) including gold coco bracelets/churiya/bera’s on the wrists of both arms that are jewelry rooted in both my South Asia/India ancestry and ancestors who were indentured labourers, which is still popular among the descendants of those indentured and unique to the Indentured Diaspora, (3) against the backdrop of sugarcane to represent the sugar plantations my ancestors toiled, were indentured on and colonially displaced to in the Caribbean in Trinidad and Guyana, (4) with the Ace flag in the background, to represent how I may be all these identities simultaneously and should be equally validated in/accross all these spaces, where I can bring my full authentic self.

This art piece/painting reflects the collective intergenerational strength, intergenerational wisdom, intergenerational memories, intergenerational history, intergenerational guidance, intergenerational resistance, intergenerational legacies of my ancestors and community. They walk with me during my active resistance, reclaiming, process of learning/unlearning harm, healing, divesting, decolonizing (including mental health) from colonial intergenerational trauma. This art piece/painting reflects me countering the imposed shame/rejection of my soul and self as less than or polluted that whiteness, colonialism, white supremacy, Anti-Muslim Racism, what I coin as Hindu Indian/Indentured/Indo-Caribbean supremacy/privilege and Mainland South Asian/Indian supremacy/privilege along with Hindutva ideology, Arab supremacy, Brahmin supremacy, Ashrafi supremacy, Abelism (including against those Neurodivergent), colorism/shadeism, patriarchal, misogynistic, sexist and Anti-2SLGBTQIA+ (including Anti-Ace) oppression tries to cast on those colonized for simply existing. By engaging in countering these systems of oppression, I actively decolonize my resistance so I may not forget, thrive and build shared solidarities across these spaces by being unapologetically me.