Published in 2014, The Reality Of Gay Armenians And Our Collective Shame was an article written for KAOS GL Magazine. The article is notable for being an early example of young Armenian leaders publishing the Queer Armenian experience and publicly naming and challenging homophobia within the Armenian community, both within the Republic and the Diaspora.
Of note, KAOS GL stands for Kaos Gay and Lesbian Cultural Research and Solidarity Association. KAOS GL was one of the first LGBTQ rights organizations in Turkey. They published the first issue of their magazine on September 20, 1994.
Kyle Khandikian is the Director of Alumni Relations for the American University Armenian (as of this writing, June 2025). He founded The Rug Code which is an online shop for high-quality handmade rugs from Armenia’s villages. He has served in Chief Storyteller roles for 2492 Travel and ONEArmenia. Previous to that he was the Project Coordinator for Pink Armenia and an Assistant Editor at Asbarez News.
Read the article here: https://kaosgl.org/en/single-news/the-reality-of-gay-armenians-and-our-collective-shame
Here is a PDF copy: The reality of gay Armenians and our collective shame by Kyle Khandikian. Here is a PDF copy of KAOS’ “About Us page: KAOS GL – Who Are We
Violence is something not uncommon for those who identify as LGBTQ, but as the arc of morality bends toward justice for many in America, there are pockets of communities where to be openly lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer still means to live in constant fear for your life. The Armenian-American community is one such place where the closet door could not be shut tighter or locked up better. […] But what is striking to me is how a culture of shame still engrosses even the youngest and brightest minds of our communities here in America, and for those who must experience and live with that shame, how it is internalized.
Excerpt from The Reality of Gay Armenians and Our Collective Shame
