Issue #12 : Mero

Mero, a word borrowed from the Nepali, literally translates to mine. Grammatically, it is a possessive pronoun, indicating that something belongs to oneself. Here, however, we see it as ownership that encapsulates not just possession but selfhood - the inner sense that precedes labels, roles and validation. The question of Who am I when the world isn’t watching?

This issue seeks to explore identity through mero, not merely as fixed labels, but as a shifting process. It invites you to explore how threads of memory, language, gender, sexuality, class, caste, faith, disability, desire, and geography intertwine to shape who we become. For many, especially within LGBTQIA+ communities, identity is not merely discovered but negotiated – often in silence, in resistance, at a great personal cost, within the patchwork quilt fabric of society.

This issue of The Medley calls you to shed the masks, and tell us through poetry, prose, non-fiction and photography. What is Mero to you? Read the concept note here. The last date for submission is 5th March 2026, Midnight IST.

Warmly,
The Medley