The Love that Dare not Speak its Name

Sebastien Chatelier and Rofiqul Islam Royal pose next to their work

The walls of the EMK Centre were white and plain, and at first glance they seemed to be barren. Upon closer inspection, it was clear why the minimalist theme was chosen. The subject matter, LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender), is a taboo one. The blank backdrop was appropriate, almost necessary, for the gravity of the photographs.

Sebastien Chatelier, a freelance journalist, said he wasn't aware of Bangladesh until the Rana Plaza collapse. He realised that Bangladesh wasn't just about garments factories and decided to take a look into the social issues that are prevalent yet suppressed. Working with Rofiqul Islam Royal, a counsellor working with HIV prevention and awareness, he set out to document the lives of people within the LGBT community and give a voice to the unheard. Royal's work in the community has built up a level of trust that allowed both him and Chatelier to approach these people and photograph them. The discrete location of the exhibition echoes the way the event was promoted – via word of mouth. It's admirable that Royal and Chatelier have respected the values of ordinary Bangladeshis by not flaunting such a sensitive topic.  

There is a touch of irony because the EMK Centre is overlooking thousands of people going about their daily business, yet inside are the stories of 'forgotten' people, who have either been shunned by society or have to resort to living clandestine lives. In the Chittagong Hill Tracts they found that, while the indigenous people of Bangladesh are a neglected people, there are a small handful of people amongst them who are minorities within a minority because of their sexual preferences. They face extra oppression for this reason, even if they choose to be in loving, monogamous relationships. Visiting places like Gopalgonj, Chittagong, and various places in Dhaka, they've allowed the public to be voyeurs into this secret community.

Poverty.

The photographs have basic titles that don't give anything away out of context. For example, Isolation could conjure up images of many things. The word is associated with being alone, and you'd expect it to feature a single person. Instead, it is a photograph of a lesbian couple who are isolated from their family because of their relationship. They have been photographed during a date, it appears. They're facing away from the camera.
Death told the story of Monir, a gay man who died after contracting HIV. Because of the stigma attached to HIV and homosexuality, his family refused to receive the body.  

The oppression that people from the LGBT community face isn't limited to their family lives. Coming Out tells the story of a gay man and a transgender woman who are in a relationship. Their landlord refused to rent them a place to live, so they live in a slum. It isn't about not being able to afford it, because they have enough money. Another photograph told the story of an individual who, despite having an education, cannot get a job because of their sexual preferences. There are stories of men who have been forced to marry women after they've come out as being gay. There was a heartbreaking story of a girl who now identifies herself as male, and lives in the transgender community because she was raped so many times. Community shows a group of people sitting in a dark room. The group is gender diverse, their identities cleverly concealed by the lack of light. They resort to meeting in secret because society doesn't approve of their lifestyle. In many cases, they only have few friends because these people only find solace amongst those who find themselves in similar predicaments.

Community.