Pride and Power to this couple who met online and are now engaged!

She felt that her feelings were not normal and felt alone. She wanted to see if there was someone out who felt the way she did. They met over a Facebook confessions page. There was this one confession that first stole her attention, and then her heart. They poked each other- the old school Facebook ice breaker- and there was no looking back! She says that “Our courtship has been Bollywood-y and magical.” They are now an engaged couple- Subhalakshmi and Dharti. 

The Bombay couple’s first date was over Vada Pav and their love story was like any other college sweethearts! They used to bunk college to meet each other and in Dharti’s words, “Ten days after dating Shubalaxmi, I knew she was the one for me.” They now run a youtube channel and are all about spreading warmth through their love. 

As a child, coming to terms with her sexuality was not easy for Dharti, she felt “Nobody understood me, I used to feel very anxious! I was really fighting with myself, convincing myself that I should date guys so that I don’t bring shame to my family. I used to worry that if I come out, mere bhai ki shaddi nahi ho payegi. I felt choked with these emotions and pressures. It wasn’t easy to tell myself that this is who I am and I have nothing to be ashamed of, especially, for not being into guys!”

Before section 377 was scrapped, homosexuality was a crime. To this, Subhalakshmi said, “I kept asking why our love is criminal? How is it any different from other love? Kya humko haq nahi hai pyaar karne ka?” She understands that despite this decriminalization of the community, social acceptance is still slow to come. The most important and difficult acceptance is the one we seek from our parents and she suggests,  “Be patient with your parents. All said and done, we have to understand that there is a generation gap between them and us, so we have to make them understand. Shayad thoda time lage, but they will definitely understand, your parents love you!” 

Dharti had come out live in front of her mother on a youtube live, her mother’s reaction was all things love. Check out the live here.

Love is too beautiful to be kept in a closet and life is too short to not love over labels! Shoutout to the entire LGBTQ community, satrangi salam to your spirit and we’re all in this with you!