Barack Obama celebrates pride month by tweeting an amazing photo of a Sikh man in a special turban.
Obama praised Kohli for making this country 'a little more equal.'
June is National Gay Pride Month in America and to celebrate, Jiwandeep Kohli, a bisexual Sikh American living in San Diego, California, decided to celebrate by posting a photo of himself wearing a rainbow-colored turban.
It was the second time he had posted the photo he took at a Pride parade in 2018.
I'm proud to be a bisexual bearded baking brain scientist. I feel fortunate to be able to express all these aspects of my identity, and will continue to work toward ensuring the same freedom for others. #PrideMonth#PrideTurban #LoveIsLove pic.twitter.com/SVhc0iwDF0
— Jiwandeep Kohli (@jiwandeepkohli) June 1, 2019
Kohli was surprised it went viral.
This received a lot more attention than I imagined it would! It also makes me feel so much #pride and joy to be a part of such supportive and welcoming communities. See here for my friends, colleagues, mentors, and heroes: https://t.co/TSSH559RBh @GregYoudan
— Jiwandeep Kohli (@jiwandeepkohli) June 2, 2019
Three days later, it went mega-viral after it caught the attention of Barack Obama who praised Kohli for making this country "a little more equal."
You've got a lot to be proud of, Jiwandeep. Thanks for everything you do to make this country a little more equal. Turban looks great, by the way. Happy Pride Month, everybody! https://t.co/SO7mgnOkgl
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) June 4, 2019
The photo is powerful because it shows a man from a community where bisexuality is a controversial subject, proudly showing off his pride in the LGBT community and his faith. In the Sikh religion turbans represent the idea that all Sikhs are equal in the eyes of God as well as a symbol of dedication to service.
"A turban is a sign to the world that you're a person the world can turn to for help," Kohli told Buzzfeed.
Sikhs believe that their divine role on Earth is to serve the needy, their community, and to meditate.
(Author's note: I once visited a Sikh temple in New Delhi, India and was blown away by the generosity of the Sikh community. Every day Sikhs from all walks of life came together to make over 1300 meals that were donated to hungry people, no questions asked.)
Kohli was inspired by a photo of a man he saw at a pride parade a few years ago. "I was looking at that, and I realized the way I tie mine it had the exact right number of layers to make a rainbow," he told Buzzfeed.
He created it by weaving rainbow colors into one of his black turbans.
Thank you! It's sort of both. One of my normal black turbans that I supplemented with strips of other colors in exactly the right places. Took about an hour of tying, untying, and safety pinning, but totally worth it!
— Jiwandeep Kohli (@jiwandeepkohli) June 1, 2019
This isn't the first time Kohli has caught the public's eye. He was once a semifinalist on "The Great American Baking Show."
"I've been really, really happy to see so much positivity and welcome from so many people," he said about his most recent brush with fame.