Skip to main content
Queer Not Here

Queer Not Here

By Queer Not Here

Queer Not Here is a podcast documenting stories of LGBTQ Malaysians who have migrated away from Malaysia. The series explores the reasons why they left, how they see Malaysia now and what their hopes are for the LGBT community in Malaysia.

Hosted by Nez. Content warning for homophobia and transphobia.
Available on
Apple Podcasts Logo
Google Podcasts Logo
Pocket Casts Logo
RadioPublic Logo
Spotify Logo
Currently playing episode

Khalid

Queer Not HereNov 05, 2021

00:00
57:17
Season 1 Wrap Up Chat!

Season 1 Wrap Up Chat!

Hi folks! Welcome to the wrap up episode of this season of Queer Not Here! This is a bit of a special episode, I’m not interviewing anyone, but rather having a casual chat with my friend Kar Yin, who was episode 5 of the season. We talk about how the podcast has gone, was it what I expected, what are the plans going forward, and also Kar Yin shares with me how was her experience being on the podcast.

A big big huge thank you, to every single person who said yes, and shared your stories. Thank you for your honesty, your willingness to be part of this project and to go through this process with me. Thank you to Kar Yin, for helping me conceptualise parts of the podcast. A big Thank you to Syar, for being my podcast expert buddy who I could always go to bounce ideas and get feedback. Thank you to Belinda, for coming up with the name Queer Not Here, and thank you to Ames, for designing the logo. I love you all very much. 

Lastly, a big thank you to everyone who’s been following and listening to this podcast!! If you’d like to get in touch with me, do email me at queernothere@gmail.com, or hit me up on IG @queer.nothere.

Jan 21, 202249:30
Natasha

Natasha

Hi folks and welcome to our last interview episode of the season! This episode I speak to Natasha, a bisexual woman living in Australia. Natasha talks to me about what it was like coming out to her male partner, and the frustrations she has with not feeling safe back home. Natasha is also a sex positive advocate, and you can check out her page @browngirl.sexology on IG. 


Thanks so much for supporting this podcast! Next week I'll be uploading a last episode, a chat with Kar Yin, who was episode 5 in the series, about how this season has gone, and what the plan is next. 


Episode photo credit: Natasha

Have a listen to the introduction to know more about this series, and do get in touch! IG: @queer.nothere, queernothere@gmail.com

Jan 14, 202201:07:36
Kye

Kye

Hi! This episode I speak to Kye, a transman and actor living in Los Angeles, USA. Kye is also the younger brother of Adam, who you may have heard in the previous episode. Kye tells me about leaving Malaysia at a young age and the actors life in LA! Thanks for supporting this podcast, and hope you enjoy the episode! 


Episode photo credit: Kye

Have a listen to the introduction to know more about this series, and do get in touch! IG: @queer.nothere, queernothere@gmail.com

Dec 24, 202147:38
Adam

Adam

Hi! This episode I speak to Adam, a gay Sabahan filmmaker and YouTuber, living in Melbourne, Australia. Adam talks to me about the environment of fear he experienced as a gay person in Malaysia and how it affected his journey of coming out and living as his authentic self. Thanks for supporting this podcast, and I hope you enjoy the episode!


Episode photo credit: Adam

Have a listen to the introduction to know more about this series, and do get in touch! IG: @queer.nothere, queernothere@gmail.com

Dec 17, 202101:00:41
Seok

Seok

Hi folks! This episode, I speak to a good friend of mine, Seok, who's a gay academic doing her PHD in Syracuse, USA. Seok talks to me about community, language and identity politics in the US. Thanks so much for supporting this podcast, and enjoy the episode!


Photo credit: Seok

Have a listen to the introduction to know more about this series, and do get in touch! IG: @queer.nothere, queernothere@gmail.com

Dec 10, 202153:28
Wai

Wai

Hey folks! This episode I speak to Wai, a gay man and professor of communication at St. Louis university, in Missouri, USA. Wai is the research partner to Hemla, who you may have heard in a previous episode, and he talks to me about what it was like coming out and learning about gay culture later in life, and also abt the research he does with Hemla, on LGBTQ Malaysians.


Photo credit: Wai

Have a listen to the introduction to know more about this series, and do get in touch! IG: @queer.nothere, queernothere@gmail.com

Dec 03, 202150:09
Jellene
Nov 26, 202150:05
Hemla

Hemla

Hi Folks! This week I speak to Hemla, a lesbian and professor in mental health counselling in Missouri, USA. Hemla tells me about what it was like coming out and being queer in the 90s, and why the mental health of the queer community is important to her. Thanks for listening to this episode, and if you like what you hear, please do share it with friends and family.


Photo credit: Hemla

Have a listen to the introduction to know more about this series, and do get in touch! IG: @queer.nothere, queernothere@gmail.com

Nov 12, 202151:12
Khalid

Khalid

Hi! This episode I speak to Khalid a gay man living in London who I mentioned in the 'What is Queer not Here' introduction episode of the podcast. Khalid tells me about how some Malaysian students at university with him back in the 90s outed him, which led to him losing his scholarship and seeking asylum in the UK. Thanks for listening!


Photo credit: Khalid

Have a listen to the introduction to know more about this series, and do get in touch! IG: @queer.nothere, queernothere@gmail.com

Nov 05, 202157:17
Alfie

Alfie

Hello! This episode I speak to Alfie, a gay man living in Los Angelas, USA. Alfie talks to me about how much his internal homophobia and self-loathing affected him, and how it led to his process of recovery from addiction. 

If you are struggling with addiction or need queer friendly mental health services, do check out some of these resources: www.queerlapis.com/where-to-find-lgbtq-affirming-therapy-in-malaysia/

Content warning: substance abuse, addiction

Photo credit: Alfie

Have a listen to the introduction to know more about this series, and do get in touch! IG: @queer.nothere, queernothere@gmail.com

Oct 29, 202148:01
Raz

Raz

Hello! This episode I speak to Raz, a transwoman living in Melbourne, Australia. Raz tells me about what it was like transitioning in Malaysia and how it's been for her joining the Australian Navy. 


Content warning for transphobia and intimate partner violence.  

Episode photo credit: Raz

Have a listen to the introduction to know more about this series, and do get in touch! IG: @queer.nothere, queernothere@gmail.com

Oct 22, 202153:03
KarYin

KarYin

This episode I speak to KarYin, a queer woman living in San Francisco, USA. She tells me about what it was like to march in Pride as part of SAMBAL (Singaporean and Malaysian Bisexuals and Lesbians) and the differences in how race relations work in the US and Malaysia. 


Episode photo credit: KarYin

Have a listen to the introduction to know more about this series, and do get in touch! IG: @queer.nothere, queernothere@gmail.com

Oct 15, 202147:58
SuFeh

SuFeh

This episode I speak to SuFeh, a queer dancer and performer in Vancouver, Canada who left Malaysia in 1985. They tell me about how it felt giving up their Malaysian passport and how the tools and language of kink helped them find their queerness. 

Episode photo credit: SuFeh. 

Have a listen to the introduction to know more about this series, and do get in touch! IG: @queer.nothere, queernothere@gmail.com

Oct 08, 202159:08
KM

KM

Hello! This episode of Queer Not Here, I speak to KM, a bisexual working and living in Hong Kong. We talk about what it's like to see Malaysia as a transient space, and the difficulties of feeling settled. Thanks for listening! 

Episode photo credit: KM 

Have a listen to the introduction to know more about this series, and do get in touch! IG: @queer.nothere, queernothere@gmail.com

Oct 01, 202141:21
Firas

Firas

In our second episode, I speak to Firas, a gender queer Kedahan who's spent the last decade in New York. We chat about colonised identities and what it means to be a Queer Muslim. Enjoy the episode!


Episode photo credit: Firas

Have a listen to the introduction to know more about this series, and do get in touch! IG: @queer.nothere, queernothere@gmail.com

Sep 24, 202159:44
Alana

Alana

Meet Alana! A transwoman working and living in London, she is seeking asylum because of the discrimination she'd face back home in Malaysia. But is London really safer for her? 

Content warning: Transphobia & suicide

Credit to Morganico for the episode artwork. 

Have a listen to the introduction to know more about this series, and do get in touch! IG: @queer.nothere, queernothere@gmail.com

Sep 17, 202148:08
What is Queer Not Here?

What is Queer Not Here?

Why did I make this series? What was the process like? What's the context in Malaysia? An introduction to Queer Not Here and what this podcast is all about!
Sep 15, 202104:52
Teaser

Teaser

Why do LGBTQ Malaysians leave Malaysia? How do they feel about it? Do they want to come home? A short preview of what to expect in this series. 

Sep 08, 202101:00