THE INTERVIEW
K+L originally spoke to Alok Vaid Menon about two years ago — or, in 2020 terms, a lifetime ago — and it continues to be a relevant and important conversation for us to share. There are few people who have had such a lasting impact, not just from the show but from life. K+L left this conversation feeling more human, more connected, more aware of how they affect others: exactly what our world desperately needs more of right now. Alok also recently released a book, “Beyond the Gender Binary,” which shows that gender is a malleable and creative form of expression only limited by your creativity. So, to celebrate the book and this beautiful, powerful, kind, and heart-centered soul, we wanted to share the conversation again.
 
We also 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://almost30.com/ (almost30.com)!
 
Resources:
Get yourself a copy of “Beyond the Gender Binary”
Or donate a copy of the book to an LGBTQ youth
Learn more | https://www.alokvmenon.com/ (alokvmenon.com)
Instagram | @alokvmenon
Twitter | @alokvmenon
YouTube | youtube.com/channel/UCG_G2mCoGdNUIOPaPrgorHg
 
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Almost 30 is edited by http://crate.media (Crate Media)