Episode 16: Navigating sex, dating, and stigma during the cancer experience with Sanjay Deshpande

In this episode, we cover: Intersectional experience as a cancer survivor across sex, sexuality, and dating. Nuances of cancer stigma in South Asia and how to navigate it.  The need for creating resources specific to the South Asian Young Adult community. About the guest: Sanjay is a Learning Designer who currently leads L&D at Pride Circle. He has previously worked as a part of the Founding Team of Harappa Education and the skilling team of NASSCOM Foundation. He is passionate about mental health, queer rights and cancer advocacy. He got diagnosed with incurable brain cancer at the age of 29 the day he landed on Harvard University's campus to start his Master’s program in September 2021. He's currently leading an effort to write & publish a first-of-its-kind book on Adulting with Cancer called ‘Don’t Ask Me How I’m Doing: Life, Death and Everything in Between’ -- to chronicle the experiences, raise awareness and create a resource for Indian and South Asian young adult cancer patients, survivors and caregivers. He is an incoming graduate student at Harvard University, a postgraduate of the Young India Fellowship program at Ashoka University, and a Valedictorian and Student of the Year from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai. Key Moments:  2 mins and 3 seconds So my understanding of privilege was very different. Because even if I identified myself as a queer person, it came with many safety nets around me. That went away when I got diagnosed with cancer. Now not only was I disadvantaged because of my sexuality, but I was at a disadvantage because of my cancer experience. 6 mins and 23 seconds So there is this generation of queer people who have just realized that they can be themselves. They are in that phase where they're trying to explore things. They're trying to be openly themselves. There's that frog in the pond syndrome. There are so many fish in the sea, why do you want to settle for one, so everyone's trying to experiment and like, you know, like, find their own feet. 25 mins and 32 seconds The worst thing is when you reveal in a public sort of space, and that public, I don't even mean like a huge stage or like in like a large audience, even when it's just five people together, and you just say that. No, I'm sorry, I can't do this because I'm a cancer survivor. Disclaimer: This podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast is at the user's own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard, or delay in obtaining, medical advice for any medical condition they may have, and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions.