Atypical Dikkatein: A Conversation Podcast

When the nearest clinic is far away, inaccessible, and unaffordable, SRHR becomes a privilege, not a right.In this episode of Atypical Dikkatein, Savina Nongebatu brings us into the realities of disability and SRHR in the Pacific, where distance, transport costs, rural isolation, and weak infrastructure shape who can access care and who cannot.For many women and girls with disabilities in Solomon Islands and across the Pacific, basic health services are already hard to reach. SRHR services are even further out of reach.You can check out the podcast transcript ⁠⁠here⁠.Some Helpful Links:1. https://arrow.org.my/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Countdown-to-2030-Are-Countries-in-the-Asia-Pacific-Region-Honoring-their-Commitments-Towards-SDG3-and-SDG5.pdf2. https://arrow.org.my/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/ARROW-SRHR-AP-Scoping-Study-on-Youth-SRHR-in-Asia-Pacific.pdf3. https://pacific.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/2025-06/UNFPA%20Pacific%20-%202024%20Annual%20Report.pdfFollow Atypical Dikkatein on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠social media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Say hi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to me, your host Soumya.Graphic by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Harshvardhan Bhaskar⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Khushi (Kay) Solanki⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Transcript by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Khushi (Kay) Solanki⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sound editing and production by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pranjal Pathak

How do you learn about your body when no one shows you how?In Episode 8 of Atypical Dikkatein Season 2, we speak with Tiffany Brar, blind activist, educator, and founder of Jyothirgamaya Mobile Blind School, about navigating menstruation, contraception, and SRHR as a visually impaired person.Because access isn’t just about information. It’s about how that information is shared.You can check out the podcast transcript ⁠here.Follow Atypical Dikkatein on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠social media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Say hi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to me, your host Soumya.Graphic by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Harshvardhan Bhaskar⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Khushi (Kay) Solanki⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Transcript by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Khushi (Kay) Solanki⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sound editing and production by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pranjal Pathak

Trans healthcare is treated like an optional extra. But it is life-saving.In this episode, we speak with Kahless Jaden Hameed, a trans writer and activist based in Colombo, about what it means to navigate healthcare systems that choose not to see trans and disabled people as fully human.From being denied hormones, to being misgendered and dismissed, to walking city after city just to find essential medication, this is not an accident. It is systemic. It is violence.You can check out the podcast transcript ⁠here⁠.Follow Atypical Dikkatein on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠social media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Say hi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to me, your host Soumya.Graphic by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Harshvardhan Bhaskar⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Khushi (Kay) Solanki⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Transcript by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Khushi (Kay) Solanki⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sound editing and production by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pranjal Pathak

Abortion isn’t going anywhere.In Episode 6 of Atypical Dikkatein Season 2, we speak with Vinitha Jayaprakasan, a Bahujan queer feminist researcher, about why abortion rights must be seen as central to bodily autonomy and reproductive justice.From the gaps in India’s SRHR movement to the rise of anti-choice narratives, this episode unpacks how abortion continues to be stigmatized, even within feminist spaces, and why stronger, intersectional movements are urgently needed.You can check out the podcast transcript here.Some Data Points and Helpful Links:1. A Foundation for Reproductive Health Services study found 32% of respondents were unaware of abortion as a legal right, and that 95.5% of Indian women were uninformed of the existence of the MTP (Amendment) Act, 2021.2. According to the Rural Health Statistics (2019-20), released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in May 2021, there was a shortfall of almost 70% for obstetricians and gynaecologists, which severely limits women’s access to safe abortion services3. 2 million adolescents lack access to contemporary abortion services, 78% abortions performed for adolescents were unsafe, 190,000 adolescents don’t receive post-abortion care.4. Every day, at least 8 women in the country die as a result of unsafe abortion-related causes, making it the third leading cause of maternal death (https://www.guttmacher.org/report/abortion-unintended-pregnancy-six-states-india)5. Population, Eugenics and Reproductive Rights: Legalising Abortion in India (by Mytheli Sreenivas): https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00856401.2024.2412468Follow Atypical Dikkatein on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠social media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Say hi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to me, your host Soumya.Graphic by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Harshvardhan Bhaskar⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Khushi (Kay) Solanki⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Transcript by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Khushi (Kay) Solanki⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sound editing and production by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pranjal Pathak

Content Warning: Mention of abuse and harassment.We’re taught to fear our bodies, never to understand them.In Episode 5 of Atypical Dikkatein Season 2, Jannatul Ferdous, burn survivor, feminist, and disability rights advocate, reflects on how conversations around sexual and reproductive health are shrouded in shame, silence, and misinformation.Puberty, pregnancy, hormones, nutrition, these are not just biological facts, they’re deeply social experiences. But when the only focus is on morality, our health, dignity, and choices get lost.You can check out the podcast transcript here.Some Helpful LinksBuilding a New Support Ecosystem for Women Burn Survivors of Domestic Violence -  https://www.pcvconline.org/images/BEYOND-BURNS-RESEARCH-REPORT.pdfAcid Violence in South Asia: A Structural Analysis toward Transformative Justice - https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2455632717708717Justice a Distant Dream for Acid Attack Survivors in South Asia - https://thediplomat.com/2023/12/justice-a-distant-dream-for-acid-attack-survivors-in-south-asia/Follow Atypical Dikkatein on ⁠⁠⁠⁠social media⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠Say hi⁠⁠⁠⁠ to me, your host Soumya.Graphic by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Harshvardhan Bhaskar⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠Khushi (Kay) Solanki⁠⁠⁠⁠Transcript by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Khushi (Kay) Solanki⁠⁠⁠⁠Sound editing and production by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Pranjal Pathak

You can’t compartmentalise liberation.In Episode 4 of Atypical Dikkatein Season 2, we speak with Kinza Jamal, a Queer Pasmanda Muslim feminist and SRHR-J practitioner, about what it means to show up for justice that’s truly intersectional. Because you can’t talk about SRHR without talking about caste, Islamophobia, fascism, or capitalism. Because queer people aren’t just queer, they’re impacted by economic policies, domestic violence laws, family planning, and more.Tune in to listen to Kinza, who reminds us: we're not just service receivers, we’re political beings with lived knowledge. And if our movements don’t center these experiences, they’re not working.You can check out the podcast transcript here.Some Helpful LinksQueerTWENTY | Navigating the Complexities of Being a Queer Muslim in Today's India | Kinza Jamal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KxCGPMuJjkFollow-up Article - Navigating the Complexities of Being a Queer Muslim in Today's India (by Kinza Jamal): https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/navigating-complexities-being-queer-muslim-todays-india-egomonk-8zisc/Allah Is Queer (by Kinza Jamal):   https://medium.com/@revivaldisabilitymag_35751/allah-is-queer-218ddd8a0567 How The Practice Of Ghusl Affected My Life As A Muslim Woman (by Kinza Jamal): https://feminisminindia.com/2021/02/03/how-the-practice-of-ghusl-affected-my-life-as-a-muslim-woman/ Sitting in Difference: Queering the Study of Islam (by Fatima Seedat): https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2979/jfemistudreli.34.1.23Islam, Feminism, and Islamic Feminism: Between Inadequacy and Inevitability (by Fatima Seedat): https://dx.doi.org/10.2979/jfemistudreli.29.2.25Reconciling Islam and Feminism (by Iman Hashim): http://www.jstor.org/stable/4030365Muslim Feminism: A Case Study of Amina Wadud’s ‘Qur’an and Woman’ (by Haifaa Jawad): http://www.jstor.org/stable/20837253Review of ‘Gender and Nation’ by Nira Yuval Davis (by Uri Davis): http://www.jstor.org/stable/3993489Taking Sexuality and Gender Seriously in Qur'anic Studies (by Aayah Musa): https://dx.doi.org/10.2979/jfemistudreli.37.2.22Beyond the Text: Between Islam and Feminism (by Fatima Seedat): https://dx.doi.org/10.2979/jfemistudreli.32.2.23The Politics of Feminism in Islam (by Anouar Majid): http://www.jstor.org/stable/3175093Islamic Feminism and Muslim Women’s Rights Activism in India: From Transnational Discourse to Local Movement - or Vice Versa? (by Nadja-Christina Schneider): https://vc.bridgew.edu/jiws/vol11/iss1/5/Ijtihad: Reinterpreting Islamic Principles for the Twenty-First Century (by David Smock): http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep12312Feminism in Islam | Aabiya Baqai: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JPpfdbbs8QFollow Atypical Dikkatein on ⁠⁠⁠social media⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠Say hi⁠⁠⁠ to me, your host Soumya.Graphic by: ⁠⁠⁠Harshvardhan Bhaskar⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠Khushi (Kay) Solanki⁠⁠⁠Transcript by: ⁠⁠⁠Khushi (Kay) Solanki⁠⁠⁠Sound editing and production by: ⁠⁠⁠Pranjal Pathak

If you're not urban, male, or from a dominant caste, disability leadership rarely sees you.In Episode 3 of Atypical Dikkatein Season 2, we’re in conversation with Dipika Lama, a youth leader and disability rights advocate from Madhesh, Nepal, whose work centers on indigenous, Dalit, Madheshi, and Muslim women and girls with disabilities.Tune in to listen to Dipika unpack how even progressive movements can erase disabled voices. From policies that assume everyone reads English or Nepali to clinics that are not accessible to women with disabilities, this episode asks: Who gets left behind when inclusion is an afterthought?You can check out the podcast transcript ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.Some Helpful Links1. National Indigenous Disabled Women Association, represented by Dipika, delivered the CSO Forum collective statement on the demands of South Asian civil society at the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on the Beijing+30 Review: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DClT5jtS_-l/?igsh=MjFyenp4N25lN3J32. Dipika at the 58th Session of the Human Rights Council: https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1h/k1hw3c8f5n?kalturaStartTime=10383Follow Atypical Dikkatein on ⁠⁠social media⁠⁠.⁠⁠Say hi⁠⁠ to me, your host Soumya.Graphic by: ⁠⁠Harshvardhan Bhaskar⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Khushi (Kay) Solanki⁠⁠Transcript by: ⁠⁠Khushi (Kay) Solanki⁠⁠Sound editing and production by: ⁠⁠Pranjal Pathak

Pain is not normal. And we need to stop pretending it is. In Episode 2 of Atypical Dikkatein Season 2, we speak with Sai Nagarajan, queer rights advocate, and PMD peer supporter, about what it means to navigate menstruation, chronic illness, and medical neglect as a queer, non-binary person in India.This episode is a deeply personal, powerful unpacking of gender, health, and access. Tune in to hear how Sai is building community and care through Project Hell Week and beyond.You can check out the podcast transcript ⁠here⁠.Some Helpful Links1. What is PMDD: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder-pmdd 2. Me v PMDD (referenced in the episode): https://mevpmdd.com/ 3. International Association for Premenstrual Disorders (referenced in the episode): https://www.iapmd.org/4. What a journey of PMDD could look like: https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/this-is-how-i-manage-pmdds-impact-on-my-mental-health#my-experience5. A video on the experiences of women with PMDD in England by the BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/health-53559904 6. PMDD through a gendered lens: https://www.progressivetherapeutic.com.au/pmdd-menstrual-gynaecological-health/the-intersection-of-pmdd-and-gender-identity7. Personal narratives of living with PMDD (Women only; specific to Canada): https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23293691.2024.2436925#d1e2068. Highly recommended to understand the varied experiences of folks with PMDD (and PME): https://www.reddit.com/r/PMDD/ Follow Atypical Dikkatein on ⁠social media⁠.⁠Say hi⁠ to me, your host Soumya.Graphic by: ⁠Harshvardhan Bhaskar⁠ and ⁠Khushi (Kay) Solanki⁠Transcript by: ⁠Khushi (Kay) Solanki⁠Sound editing and production by: ⁠Pranjal Pathak

Who decides what a "perfect" body is? And what happens when our bodies don’t fit that mould? In the first episode of Season 2 of Atypical Dikkatein, we sit down with Hameeda Syed, freelance journalist & co-founder of Dignity in Difference, to unpack the unrealistic expectations placed on our bodies, from ableism to gendered labour and SRHR.Tune in now for a powerful conversation around gender, bodily autonomy, ableism, and the deeply ingrained pressures we carry.You can check out the podcast transcript here.Follow Atypical Dikkatein on social media.Say hi to me, your host Soumya.Graphic by: Harshvardhan Bhaskar and Khushi (Kay) SolankiTranscript by: Khushi (Kay) SolankiSound editing and production by: Pranjal Pathak

Trailer Transcript: Hello, aur namaste! Welcome to Atypical Dikkatein - a conversation podcast. I am your host Soumya, and in this podcast, I talk to fellow queer, neurodivergent and disabled folx. We are back with the podcast's second season, which we are co-creating with ARROW and Niluka Gunawardena.In this season, we will talk about sexual and reproductive health and rights issues from a disability and queer feminist lens with folx from the community working in the Asia-Pacific region. The conversations will explore oft-overlooked intersectional experiences, especially around sexual and reproductive health and rights, and issues like climate change, disability justice and gender rights.So come along and join us! You can listen to Atypical Dikkatein on Spotify. And if you wanna reach out to me—your host, Soumya, check out the Linktree link in the description. See ya!Say hi!Graphic by: Harshvardhan Bhaskar

Content warning: Please note that this episode contains mentions of queerphobia.Art is queer, and queer is art. We are back with another episode where I am in an insightful conversation with Tannaz Mahreen, a rapper and composer, as well as an advocate of intersectionality and inclusivity. We explore the topics of art and queerness, their intersections, and how this intersectionality allows us to advocate for our rights.This episode is presented in collaboration with queerbeat, our media partner.You can check out the podcast transcript here.Follow Atypical Dikkatein on social media.Say hi to me, your host Soumya.(Originally created for Gender Bender 2023, produced by Sandbox Collective and Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan Bangalore.)Graphic by: Harshvardhan Bhaskar and Soumyaa AggarwalTranscript by: Shafali Chadha

Content warning: Please note that this episode contains mentions of ableism and queerphobia.Join me in this eye-opening conversation with Mohammed, a molecular biologist, an advocate for queer rights, and co-founder of IHRI (Intersex Human Rights India). They explore the intricate intersections of chronic health erasure, hospital accessibility, and the challenges marginalised communities face in accessing healthcare. Mohammed also delves into the often-overlooked world of neuroqueer identities and the imperative need to create inclusive and safe spaces within the LGBTQIA+ community.You can check out the podcast transcript here.Follow Atypical Dikkatein on social media.Say hi to me, your host Soumya.(Originally created for Gender Bender 2023, produced by Sandbox Collective and Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan Bangalore.)Graphic by: Harshvardhan Bhaskar and Soumyaa AggarwalTranscript by: Shafali Chadha

Content warning: This episode includes discussions on queerphobia and ableism.In the eighth episode, I'm in conversation with Garima, a disabled, agender development sector professional. With extensive work in SRHR and LGBTQIA+ community capacity building, Garima shares their journey of exploring disabilities later in life and the intricate interaction between queerness and neurodivergence. We explore the challenges of navigating the workplace as neuroqueer folks, as well as the profound question of how and where queerness and neurodivergence intersect.You can check out the podcast transcript ⁠here⁠.Follow Atypical Dikkatein on ⁠social media⁠.⁠Say hi⁠ to me, your host Soumya.Graphic by: Harshvardhan Bhaskar and Soumyaa AggarwalTranscript by: Shafali Chadha

Content warning: Please note that this episode contains mentions of queerphobia.Join us for an enlightening conversation as I sit down with Saoirse, a first-year PhD student in the English department at Brown University. In this episode, Saoirse discusses the complexities of living at the intersections of being brown, queer, and neurodivergent within both the Indian education system and as an international student in the United States. From embracing the beauty of queerness to the challenges encountered while navigating legal and bureaucratic systems, they candidly reflect on their experiences and share their journey.Learn more about Saoirse's work here.This episode is presented in partnership with The Red Door.You can check out the podcast transcript here.Follow Atypical Dikkatein on social media.Say hi to me, your host Soumya.Graphic by: Harshvardhan Bhaskar and Soumyaa AggarwalTranscript by: Shafali Chadha

Content warning: Please note that this episode contains mentions of physical and mental abuse, and eating disorders.In this episode, I'm in conversation with K. Vaishali, the author of the memoir "Homeless: Growing Up Lesbian and Dyslexic in India." She shares her experiences as a late-diagnosed neurodivergent woman, about navigating life with dyslexia and dysgraphia in a world without reliable sources of information or representation in media, how she found comfort in her sexuality in a Brahminical setting, and the pressure of adhering to heteronormative norms.Vaishali is also the host of the podcast Queerious Connections.You can check out the podcast transcript here.Follow Atypical Dikkatein on social media.Say hi to me, your host Soumya.Transcript by: Pritha Chakraborty

Content warning: Please note that this episode contains mentions of domestic violence.In the fifth episode, I speak to Jasmin Khoja, a learning and knowledge management professional who has worked on various human rights campaigns and currently working on policy design and implementation by representing the need for disabled Muslim women's point of view. They are a queer Muslim feminist who lives with ADHD, auditory processing disorder, and PTSD. She shares her story, a form of reclamation where she takes pride in her faith and identities true to herself. The conversation revolves around intersectionality and isolation, the struggle to find gender and neuro-affirming mental health professionals, surviving without support in educational institutions, and navigating the workplace as a neuroqueer person.You can check out the podcast transcript here.Follow Atypical Dikkatein on social media.Say hi to me, your host Soumya.Transcript by: Pritha Chakraborty

April is Autism Acceptance Month, and episode four of this podcast features an #ActuallyAutistic person: Vignesh, who was diagnosed with ADHD and ASD in adulthood. They share how Autism and ADHD interact with and influence their everyday life, including their queerness. In our society, while most conversations around Autism revolve around parents who speak about their autistic children, here is an autistic person sharing their experiences on how Autism looks from the inside. You can check out the podcast transcript here. Follow Atypical Dikkatein on social media. Say hi to me, your host Soumya.

In the third episode, I speak with Pranav Arwari, a queer-disabled and non-binary person. They share their experiences as a multiply marginalised person in a society governed by neuronormative norms and cis-heteronormativity, and how they have learned to navigate it personally as well as professionally. We also contemplate on the idea of rest, especially in relation to activism. You can check out the podcast transcript here. Follow Atypical Dikkatein on social media. Say hi to me, your host Soumya.

Content Warning: Please note that this episode contains discussions on suicidal ideation.With my second guest, Ayushmita Samal, I talk about what's it like to be neurodivergent and queer, and the challenges that come with these multiple layers of marginalisations, especially at the workplace and even in interpersonal relationships. We also discuss the lack of policies at workplaces to address the needs of neurodivergent folx or people with mental illnesses, and what can be done to change the current state of affairs.You can check out the podcast transcript here.Follow Atypical Dikkatein on social media.Say hi to me, your host Soumya.

Content Warning: Please note that this episode contains discussions on abuse.With my first guest, Srishti Pandey, I take a journey into her life to know her story, motivation and what got her interested in disability rights and inclusion. We also discuss the oft-forgotten intersection of queerness and disability, specifically asexuality and non-visible disabilities.You can check out the podcast transcript here.Follow Atypical Dikkatein on social media.Say hi to me, your host Soumya.

Trailer Transcript: Hello aur namaste! Welcome to Atypical Dikkatein – a conversation podcast. I am your host Soumya, and in this podcast I will be talking to fellow queer, neurodivergent and disabled folx. Why? Because I want to! This podcast will not just be a repository of stories and experiences, but it will also be a journey to build solidarity, queer intimacy and a community. Hopefully, by embarking on this journey, I will be able to find a sense of belongingness and a space—where queer and disabled folx like me can share our unique joys as well as challenges, and feel less alone in a world where we face constant invisibilisation. This is a way of taking up space, according to our own terms.So, come along, and join us!You can listen to Atypical Dikkatein on Spotify. And if you wanna reach out to me—your host, Soumya, check out the Linktree link in the description. See ya!Say hi!