Mongolian LGBTI youth fight for recognition through music, comedy

Mongolian influencer Anudari Daarya looks effortlessly glamorous and carefree in her social media posts — but the classically trained pianist's road to acceptance as a transgender artist has been anything but easy.

- KHALIUN BAYARTSOGT

She is one of a growing number of Mongolian LGBTI youth challenging stereotypes and fighting for acceptance through media representation in the socially conservative country.

LGBTI Mongolians often hide their identities from their employers and colleagues for fear of discrimination, with a survey by the non-profit LGBT Centre Mongolia showing that only 20% of people felt comfortable coming out at work.

Daarya, 25, said she has faced discrimination since she began publicly living as a woman at her arts university, where she said fellow students shunned her and she graduated without a single friend.

"I naively believed future artists and art teachers would embrace my transition," she said.

After graduation, Daarya applied for multiple positions.

She said she waited to hear back about teaching hours at Mongolia’s State Conservatory for three months before a contact told her that “the administration is saying someone like you can’t work with children”.

The Conservatory said in a statement they had realised they did not have a need to hire new teachers the year Daarya applied.

It selects staff “based on their skills and education without discriminating against religion, sexual orientation, and so on”, it said.