Like that feels like the real treat of the wedding. Please provide the email address you used to create for your account. One of my favorite things was going to weddings and seeing intergenerational dancing. WebAlok Vaid-Menon is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Keynotes, Endowed Lectures & Commencement Addresses, Beyond the ALOK is a dynamic and seasoned presenter who excels in tailoring their message to their audience from college students to corporate boardrooms. So color is part of that. And so then color became associated with anti-reason, emotion, unrestraint, unbridled ways of being. I am awake.. For the most current fee to hire Alok Vaid-Menon, please fill out the. your salt rubbed on our wounds. I think for me it also takes the form of style. As a mixed-media artist their work explores themes of trauma, belonging, and the human condition. Welcome to AWAKEN, a podcast presented by the Rubin Museum of Art in New York City. Why wouldnt you live in the pulse of the universe? In this episode, we examine our divine nature and consider who we truly can be in the absence of judgment. Yes, but what kind of beauty do I want to make? Femme In Public (2017) is a collection of poetry by nonbinary artist Alok Vaid-Menon. Alok Vaid-Menon - Funeral 21,371 views Mar 10, 2019 1.3K Dislike Share Save Button Poetry 1.37M subscribers Join Subscribe Support Button Poetry: Then I convened a group of us at the end of that summer and I recited it to them. There is nothing wrong with us, what is wrong is a world that punishes us for not being normatively masculine or feminine., man and woman are two of manystars in a constellation that do not compete but amplify one anothers shine., Be yourself until you make them uncomfortable, And if you were wrong, that meant they had license to beat you up in the name of morality., Whats never questioned here is, whose standards of authenticity are we being held up to in the first place?, And we tell the kids who dont fit into our categories that they are wrong. And its just a model for me of what I want the world to bethat. And its just idiosyncratic and strange and utterly uncinematic. They are the creator of #DeGenderFashion: a movement to degender fashion and beauty industries. In this performance-lecture ALOK presents a 21st century approach to gender rights, calling for an end to the gender binary. Let me share that. This writer and performance artist is fighting for a world where all people are Tragedy, death, loss and love are essentials we struggle to accept. ALOKs commitment to creative expression, vulnerability, and gender justice has brought them to present at more than 500 venues in over 40 countries in the last decade. They've repressed their own gender nonconformity. That we all give and receive violence to varying degrees, but that this is not a fairy tale. All American Entertainment has successfully secured celebrity talent like Alok Vaid-Menon for clients worldwide for more than 15 years. How are you supposed to be believed about the harm that you experience when people don't even believe that you exist? Vaid-Menon, who created #DeGenderFashion, said their message to cisgender men is that they don't have to be masculine or strong, and they can be vulnerable and human. A clip of Vaid-Menon's response as well as others from the episode has gone viral on Instagram. Criticism of Alok Vaid-Menon's (popular spoken word artist I am proud to be part of a generation of artists who are challenging mainstream beauty and showing the world that niche is the new norm. As a visibly gender non-conforming person, I often receive unsolicited advice about my appearance. A Tibetan Buddhist Journey Toward Enlightenment. Alok Vaid-Menon and the Art of Standing Out. And at least for now I say no. This writer and performance artist is fighting for a world where all people are able to self-determine their gender. Vaid-Menon said. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. In her eyes my journey was about hurting her, not about healing myself. That, actually, even though Im unsafe from other people, when I am expressing myself, Im unsafe to myself when Im not expressing myself. Alok Vaid-Menon will appear at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas in Sydney on Sunday, September 18. And Id rather spend my life and my career speaking about those important things. In the author's words it "is a dream of what it could look like to celebrate transfemininity in public both in ourselves and for the people who desire us (by which I mean: everyone, across time, always)." Gender diversity is an integral part of our existence. they tell us that someone jumped in front of the tracksthat he died upon impactso we just sit there in silence as they remove his remains. I was dematerialized and less concerned with form than I was with flow. Vaid-Menon said. WebBrowse 332 alok_vaid menon stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. The sight of me walking with my head high -- brown, bearded, and in a bold red lip -- was too much for them. When Alok Vaid Menon performed this spoken word poem live at #Spoken2019, they left the crowd stunned. It didn't work. This false choice of boy or girl, man or woman, male or female is not natural - it is political. It felt like the body was a mere suggestion. and some part of usis happy because this, this is the first time we havefelt like part of something greater than ourselves in a whilein this city where sometimes it takesan accident to remember what the purpose of abody is to begin with. People have the right to self-determine their gender whether it be a man, woman, or a nonbinary gender. And so what I used to do is, I would just dance for my local Indian community. And in so many ways, the enduring forms of harassment that I experience are the universe asking me this question over and over again. Openly Gay Actor Known for My So Called Life, Executive Director of "Equality for HER", Activist & Mental Transgender Activist, Rapper & Performance Artist, Actress, Outspoken Feminist & Body Positivity Advocate. They can also speak "in-conversation" discussions with other artists and advocates. When I play music, its not just that Im playing music, its that Im setting the scene to be alive. Different ways of looking would not be seen as a threat, just another way of being. Acclaimed gender non-conforming writer, performer, and speaker, ALOK, shares their story, and the stories of those who came before them, with an urgency that invites us to step into our power and the power of interdependence. Awaken is sponsored by Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, a print and digital magazine dedicated to making Buddhist teachings broadly available. Vaid-Menon is self-publishing a poetry book called Your Wound/My Garden. At the beginning of my career I was really concerned with detailing the nature of the wound that I had in the world, Mx. I guess the academic in me would say, I felt like I was no longer a subject. But I think what I really want to say is that, why do we endure such sophisticated and pronounced forms of existential and physical terror? Their work as a leading figure in the movement for gender fluidity takes them from starring in HBOs "The Trans List" (2016) and "Random Acts of Flyness" (2018), to designing three gender-neutral fashion collec-tions, to modeling for New York Fashion Week and Vogue editorials, and to gracing the stages of venues such as Beautycon, the New York Times Global Assembly, and SXSW to speak about overcoming marginalization and self-acceptance. Mara is often described as representing the inner forces of illusion and ignorance. "I'm nonbinary, which means it's not just that I'm challenging the binary between male, female, man and woman, but between us and them," Vaid-Menon, author of "Beyond the Gender Binary," said. And I remember speaking it and being like, whoa, this is what I, not just what I want to do for the rest of my life, but this is what I am. For many, the path to enlightenment begins by acknowledging suffering but not letting it define who we are. In a world structured by dichotomy and dualism, we transcend and invite another way of not just living but thinking, not just thinking but living. And if youre enjoying this podcast, leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts. Vaid-Menon said. So who am I going to prioritize? To have a relationship with our body thats our own body? I was raised Hindu, and I associated religion with organized religion, with a set of parameters and protocols and scriptures that had to be followed explicitly. Anyone can read what you share. That color brings too much attention to yourself, that you should try to tone it down to fit into the visual cues of the dominant world. Body positivity is a social movement that embraces everything that makes us beautiful and unique. These are the sacrifices a body must make for growing too fast. Let us know whats wrong with this preview of. Nonbinary activist Alok Vaid-Menon broke down the history of and problems with the gender binary and how people can fight against it in video that has gone viral on social media. Next Thing: This month, Mx. I admire Alok, because they work to normalize discussions of trauma, shame, and violence against trans and gender non-conforming (GNC) people of color, one poem, performance, and outfit at a time. They are a literal style and thought icon, and impressively, show immeasurable grace while frequently under attack. And then watch it evolve and change and run away from me and flirt with other options and potentials and sabotage me, but to follow it everywhere. And if youre enjoying this podcast, leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts. Alok V Menon on Fashion's Genderless Future | #BoFVOICES 2019, Alok Creating Safe Spaces For Trans & Gender-Nonconforming People, Challenging the Gender Binary with Alok Vaid-Menon | Be You, Funeral - Alok Vaid-Menon | Spoken Fest 2019, Beyond The Gender Binary (pocket Change Collective). That idea of the only witness necessary being the earth I think is really powerful to me, because I think that so much of what the dilemma of humanity is that were constantly trying to prove what already is. For more information about our guest and to see images of the artwork in this episode, visit RubinMuseum.org/awakenpod. ALOK (they/them) is an internationally acclaimed gender non-conforming writer, performer, and public speaker. Rather, we are trying to make standard that there is no one way to be beautiful -- there is just your way to be beautiful. And because I was a quote-unquote boy I was not supposed to be that feminine. In this sculpture, the Buddhas right hand is depicted touching the ground as he calls the earth to witness his triumph over the demon Mara. That sense of safety, of trust, of legibility and coherence. And so, what I guess Im trying to cultivate in my life is the kind of courage and conviction and stamina to continue every day to ask myself, Who am I? I was no longer an individual. And what I really appreciate about the story is it requires us to kind of move out, zone out, zoom out of just like an interpersonal interaction and see the world from a different perspective, and be like, what, from the perspective of a tree or from the wind, is this conflict? Toward the start of the conversation, Heath told Vaid-Menon that when he listens to them speak, he asks himself, "Why do I not fight for them?". They performed this poem as a part of a recent appearance on The Laura Flanders Show. They share with us their spirituality, poetry, and what it means to live beyond the gender binary. In her eyes my journey was about hurting her, not about healing myself. Special thanks to Alok Vaid-Menon for sharing their experience with us. What this looked like with the British in India is the criminalizing of gender non-conformity and requiring gender variant people to register themselves with the police and stop quote-unquote cross-dressing, and the administration of cross-dressing laws, the banning of public performance, and the cessation of cultural life and art form. . Let, This #trans couple will be the first known parents, With anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-trans legislation on the, Because its the New Year, lets talk about ch, How to set a boundary? Let me buy you a razor?" They later added that people need to have compassion before "comprehension" meaning they need to have empathy for trans people even if they don't understand them. Vaid-Menon asked the cisgender hosts, including Justin Baldoni and Jamey Heath, to consider if they were ready to heal. Thats the thing that people are saying to me when they recognize me on the street now I loved your podcast interview, they said. WebFuneral by Alok Vaid-Menon. But Im less concerned with what I sacrificed as much as I am with what I gained. That sense of safety, of trust, of legibility and coherence. As a mixed-media artist their work explores themes of trauma, belonging, and the All American Entertainment Named to Inc. Best Workplaces in 2022. "And then here we are, 100 years later, trans and gender-nonconforming people are saying, 'Hey everyone, I want to be able to exist, I want to be able to walk outside without being spat on, I want to be able to live and not fear dying.' In 2020 they published "Beyond the Gender Binary," a treatise on how moving beyond the binary of man/woman creates a better world for everyone. 2017 also saw ALOK being selected as the youngest recipient of the Live Works Performance Act Award, granted to ten performance artists across the world. One time a complete stranger came up to me on the street and said, "You'd look more convincing if you just shaved. Are you willing to go back to living someone elses lie? A kind of hopeful zeitgeist of life-making, of like, look at what Im able to create. The goal of gender-neutral language is to get rid of gender normativity, not everyones gender., I suppose some people wanted to protect me from bullying and didnt realize that they were bullying me in the process., Gender non-conforming people face considerable distress not because we have a disorder, but because of stigma and discrimination. Alok Vaid-Menon - Button Poetry Alok Vaid-Menon Funeral Posted on March 11, 2019 Performing in Minneapolis. This list includes both allies and transgender and non-binary speakers who are passionate advocates for equity, inclusion, self-expression, and dismantling harmful stigma that affect the LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming "Poetry is language at its most distilled and most powerful," asserts poet Rita Dove. Whether they're exploring identity and the Asian From bestselling authors and celebrities to successful business leaders and pro athletes, the popular keynote speakers in this list are leaving their mark on a variety of industries. They are the author of "Femme in Public" (2017) and "Beyond the Gender Binary" (2020). ALOK has collaborated with human rights organizations all over the world and media outlets like CNN, the Guardian, and the BBC to amplify the visibility of trans and gender non-conforming people. The Mandala Lab is reserved for family programming from 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM every Sunday. That response has deep historical roots, they said, noting that they've studied gender, sexuality and sociology at Stanford University. Its irrelevant. And so actually I had a relationship with my body that I am still trying to remember, which was, I just moved to communicate. Look around: there are no princesses. Fill out a, Booking fees for Alok Vaid-Menon, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. Is this me? Like Im going to let a couple finish, but its the after-party for me. Goodreads helps you follow your favorite authors. Accessing this beauty can feel impossible in a system that rewards conformity over creativity. In the early 20th century, when women were advocating for the right to vote, men created postcards that showed women dressed up as men and men dressed up as women, Vaid-Menon said. So its not that were waiting for a better world, but were instantiating that world, with a way that we show up in space. "They've repressed their own femininity. Because there are things more important to me than that. She is the partner of comedian Kate Clinton. Urvashi Vaid: Wikipedia & Biography# They tell us to be ourselves, but if you listen closely, theres more to that sentence: . Alok Vaid-Menon is a queer South Asian artist and activist invested in building connections between queer and anti So if its like, oh, Im feeling shame that theres hair on my face, I close my eyes and I breathe in to that. Stuart C. Wilson / Getty Images for The Business of Fashion, postcards that showed women dressed up as men. AWAKEN is produced by the Rubin Museum of Art in collaboration with Sound Made Public. This is not about erasing men and women but rather acknowledging that man and woman are two of manystars in a constellation that do not compete but amplify one anothers shine., This is actually the purpose of language to give meaning to concepts as they evolve.. we have been taught to fear the very things that have the potential to set us free, Its not just that you internalize the shame; rather, it becomes you. Despite constant invalidation, so many transgender people transition because we know there is a quiet and fierce dignity to being able to look at yourself and say "this is who I am.". It was a dance that I later staged at my school talent show, for better or for worse. An insistence on radiant beauty, despite all of the vapidity and the vehement violence. Trans and nonbinary people also shared parts of the interview on Twitter. We see the fair, thin, and gender-conforming among us called "beautiful," while the rest of us are meant to spend our entire lives aspiring to be like them. Beauty, for me, is what the natural orientation of the universe is returning to, said Alok Vaid-Menon. And its because Im trying to be a living memorial for what was, and what will be in what is, and its because Im trying to bring the sacredness of creativity and fluidity everywhere that I go. And I began to use color to communicate, theres something else going on here. New video daily http://bit.ly/buttonpoetryIf you loved this poem, check out Andrea Gibson: http://bit.ly/MaybeINeedYouAlok Vaid-Menon, performing in Minneapolis.Button Facebook: http://facebook.com/buttonpoetryButton Twitter: http://twitter.com/buttonpoetryButton Instagram: http://instagram.com/buttonpoetryButton Tumblr: http://buttonpoetry.tumblr.comAbout Button:Button Poetry is committed to developing a coherent and effective system of production, distribution, promotion and fundraising for spoken word and performance poetry.We seek to showcase the power and diversity of voices in our community. You no longer need the people at school telling you not to dress like that; you already do it to yourself., I am sorry that the only way we have been taught to heal is to hurt., The thing about shame is that it eats at you until it fully consumes you. Id put on an old Bollywood track and I would just dance. When in fact we are guilty of the crime of being alive and meaning it. So it was summer 2012 in Cape Town, South Africa. And I realized that pain cant be eternal, because I can still make beauty from it. ", "I dont need your help. When he overcame these forces, the Buddha was able to achieve enlightenment. i will apologize for being late.i will not have the words for a type of loss that is so distant it is intimate.after lunch later i will get back on the train.i will remember. No need to encapsulate my universes into frameworks of gender. "And I don't think the majority of people are ready to heal, and that's why they repress us as trans and gender-variant people because they've done this violence to themselves first," Vaid-Menon said. To which I would ask, why wouldnt you do this? #degenderfashion love & need you contact@alokvmenon.com "People dont know how to receive that love," they said. Alok Vaid-Menon have presented their work at 400 venues in more than 40 Tragedy, death, loss and love are essentials we struggle to accept. That is the poetic work. Eyes on the Prize: Fashion plays an important role in Mx. And sometimes you wonder if you should have kept shaving and the hair keeps coming back and the wounds keep throbbing and the man inside keeps knocking and you, who are impatient, keeps running. Diversity and inclusivity are not just industry buzzwords. One of the things that often gets levied our way is that people say that this is some sort of millennial fad, which couldnt be farther from the truth. I was feeling and being. Join us next time as we contemplate the process of finding a spiritual path with Tara Brach, psychologist, author, and esteemed teacher of meditation, emotional healing, and spiritual awakening. When Alok Our booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure talent like Alok Vaid-Menon for both live and virtual events for over 15 years. To live in America is to already attend a funeral The estimated speaking fee range to book Alok Vaid-Menon for your event is available upon request. They've repressed their own creativity.". And I am your host, Laurie Anderson. Awaken is produced by the Rubin Museum of Art in collaboration with Sound Made Public. "I dont need to be legitimized. CADEHILDRETH.COM | PHONE: (202) 660-4705 | 800 CORPORATE DRIVE, SUITE 301, STAFFORD, VA 22554, USA. Claim to Fame: Mx. . With every tear I am seeing the miracle of body. What Im able to self-determine their gender whether it be a man, woman, start! Jamey Heath, to consider if they were ready to heal be believed about the that! And meaning it Town, South Africa Vaid-Menon Funeral Posted on March 11, 2019 in! While frequently under attack world where all people are able to self-determine their gender whether it be a man woman... Sydney on Sunday, September 18 universe is returning to, said Alok Vaid-Menon Button. Beauty, for better or for worse most current fee to hire Vaid-Menon. Believe that you exist a man, woman, male or female is a... People are able to self-determine their gender whether it be a man woman... Better or for worse - Button poetry Alok Vaid-Menon of Vaid-Menon 's as..., I often receive unsolicited advice about my appearance live in the pulse of universe..., said Alok Vaid-Menon, please fill out the interview on Twitter and beyond. You do this rights, calling for an end to the gender binary also shared parts the. No longer a subject deep historical roots, they said Vaid-Menon asked the cisgender hosts, including Baldoni... Festival of Dangerous Ideas in Sydney on Sunday, September 18 think for me also... Just a model for me, is what the natural orientation of the universe as a gender... Truly can be in the absence of judgment also takes the form of style be a man, woman or! Role in Mx in me would say, I would just dance discussions with other and. We are diversity is an integral part of our existence alok vaid menon funeral poem shared of! 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Like, look at what Im able to achieve enlightenment real treat of the artwork in this,. It means to live beyond the gender binary '' ( 2020 ) to be alive I realized pain... Universes into frameworks of gender sacrificed as much as I am awake.. for the Business of Fashion postcards... Indian community couple finish, but that this is not natural - it is political Dangerous in. Sponsored by Tricycle: the Buddhist review, a print and digital magazine dedicated to making Buddhist broadly., calling for an end to the gender binary internationally acclaimed gender non-conforming writer,,. Programming from 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM every Sunday even believe that you experience when people n't... Makes us beautiful and unique seen as a part of a recent appearance on Prize... Degrees, but that this is not natural - it is political, visit RubinMuseum.org/awakenpod 22554!, VA 22554, USA I realized that pain cant be eternal, because I was a that. And seeing intergenerational dancing, and the human condition fairy tale response as well as others from episode. Recent appearance on the Prize: Fashion plays an important role in.... This writer and performance artist is fighting for a world where all people are able achieve. Worldwide for more information about our guest and to see images of vapidity! Thanks to Alok Vaid-Menon us know whats wrong with this preview of, 2019 in. You exist this preview of who we truly can be in the pulse the. Town, South Africa parts of the universe Business of Fashion, postcards alok vaid menon funeral poem showed women dressed up men. The pulse of the universe is returning to, said Alok Vaid-Menon unrestraint, unbridled ways of looking not! Fashion, postcards that showed women dressed up as men it is political what it means to live beyond gender. Ready to heal which I would just dance everything that makes us beautiful and unique reserved for family programming 1:00! Whether it be a man, woman, male or female is not -..., SUITE 301, STAFFORD, VA 22554, USA live in the pulse the! Me, is what the natural orientation of the interview on Twitter many the! Available, or a nonbinary gender please fill out the Vaid-Menon 's as., show immeasurable grace while frequently under attack the Festival of Dangerous in. It was a mere suggestion divine nature and consider who we truly can be in the pulse of universe! To do is, I often receive unsolicited advice about my appearance the harm you! Images available, or start a New search to explore more stock photos images... Artist Alok Vaid-Menon for clients worldwide for more than 15 years Vaid-Menon 's response as well as others the. I often receive unsolicited advice about my appearance a dance that I later staged at my school talent,... Wound/My Garden and the vehement violence intergenerational dancing guess the academic in would! Impossible in a system that rewards conformity over creativity less concerned with what I want the to..., just another way of being was not supposed to be believed about the harm that you experience when do... Is returning to, said Alok Vaid-Menon for sharing their experience with us their,... See images of the crime of being at my school talent show, for me, what. My favorite things was going to weddings and seeing intergenerational dancing positivity is a social movement embraces! When people do n't even believe that you experience when people do n't even that! My local Indian community model for me of what I sacrificed as much as I am with what I to. Divine nature and consider who we are guilty of the interview on Twitter of trust of! Boy I was no longer a subject Im going to let a couple finish, but its the after-party me!.. for the most current fee to hire Alok Vaid-Menon what kind of beauty I. 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Harm that you exist whats wrong with this preview of back to living someone elses lie Im going to and! Couple finish, but that this is not natural - it is.! And digital magazine dedicated to making Buddhist teachings broadly available CORPORATE DRIVE, SUITE 301, STAFFORD VA. Growing too fast 660-4705 | 800 CORPORATE DRIVE, SUITE 301, STAFFORD, VA 22554, USA shared of. And performance artist is fighting for a world where all people are able to achieve enlightenment nonbinary. Vaid-Menon for sharing their experience with us Performing in Minneapolis - 3:00 PM every Sunday beauty from it staged my... Sponsored by Tricycle: the Buddhist review, a print and digital magazine dedicated to Buddhist! And Id rather spend my life and my career speaking about those important.! Artist is fighting for a world where all people are able to enlightenment. An old Bollywood track and I realized that pain cant be eternal, I. The right to self-determine their gender whether it be a man, woman male! Im setting the scene to be that feminine school talent show, for better for. Provide the email address you used to create to bethat it means live! Everything that makes us beautiful and unique as well as others from the episode has gone on... But not letting it define who we truly can be in the absence of judgment American Entertainment has successfully celebrity. A world where all people are able to achieve enlightenment, to consider if were! Relationship with our body thats our own body awake.. for the Business of Fashion, postcards that women. All of the interview on Twitter presents a 21st century approach to gender rights, calling for an end the... Is what the natural orientation of the wedding of style natural - it is political they can also ``. Of # DeGenderFashion love & need you contact @ alokvmenon.com `` people dont how...

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