Alok Vaid-Menon is a gender non-conforming performance artist, writer, and educator. Taken from Alok’s own writing “In a world that requires everyone to 'pass' within two discrete categories of 'man' OR 'woman' what would it mean for gender non-conformity to be regarded as beautiful, desirable, legitimate, and worthy?”. They are performing, speaking, and writing from their soul to connect through differences and challenge the archaic social construct that is gender.

Alok is so comfortable in their skin and their glam, and the confidence is infectious! We had a ton of fun chatting with them, soaking in their poetic words – and we know you’re going to leave this episode with a little bit more hope, a little bit more inspiration, and new ways to challenge the current paradigm!

We talk about…

The ins and outs of your passion being your business

Growing up (emotionally repressed) in a small Texas town

Southern “politeness”

Balancing being a strong example for others + being a complex, flawed human

Why it hurts when we turn someone into a metaphor and a symbol

Visibility does not mean safety for women and trans people

Where Alok developed their emotional vocabulary

Gender + shame

Learning not to fear their own gender nonconformity

The psychology of fascism

Why Alok is frustrated by the individualism of self-care

The people who bully us want to be us

Aesthetics as political resistance

Violence against gender non-conforming individuals has escalated over the past few years

What we can all do, every day, to challenge the current paradigm

Find more to love at http://www.almost30podcast.com/shownotes/ (almost30podcast.com)!

Resources:

Learn more | https://www.alokvmenon.com/ (alokvmenon.com)

Instagram | @alokvmenon

Twitter | @alokvmenon

YouTube | youtube.com/channel/UCG_G2mCoGdNUIOPaPrgorHg

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