", "I dont need your help. Next Thing: This month, Mx. It always has been, and it always will be. It was a dance that I wanted to stage for my own community. 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. It felt like the body was a mere suggestion. Welcome to AWAKEN, a podcast presented by the Rubin Museum of Art in New York City. As a mixed-media artist their work explores themes of trauma, belonging, and the Theres such a natural template for another way to relate to the earth. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. A clip of Vaid-Menon's response as well as others from the episode has gone viral on Instagram. Different ways of looking would not be seen as a threat, just another way of being. Let's figure it out. And so then I put this brown body in a pink shirt, and what did that do? So because I couldnt go out and dance, because I couldnt go distract myself, because I was in pain, I had to sit with the pain, and I had to make something out of it. Tragedy, death, loss and love are essentials we struggle to accept. How two poets are nurturing support networks disrupted by the our train is delayed and i am late for lunchwith a boy i like because he makes me feelless lonely and that seems like a sufficientdefinition for love these daysin this city where it is possible to be surroundedby the warmth of millions of apartment lights andstill feel cold, the lights turn off.and its one of those momentswhen we are forced to look up from our screens and remember that we exist outside of them. Awaken is sponsored by Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, a print and digital magazine dedicated to making Buddhist teachings broadly available. Beauty is no longer in the eyes of the beholder. Although I am constantly harassed for it, I am able to keep going because I know who I am. They've repressed their own creativity.". Stuart C. Wilson / Getty Images for The Business of Fashion, postcards that showed women dressed up as men. Basically, there was a space heater that I didnt turn off, that my mattress got embroiled with. Let us know whats wrong with this preview of. Beauty is about looking like yourself, even in the face of social and cultural repression. 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? ALOK VAID-MENON (they/them/theirs) is an internationally acclaimed writer, performer, and public speaker. Like I was interconnected with everything: the air, the people around me, the music. And what a delight and what a joy it is to be foolish together. Trans and nonbinary people also shared parts of the interview on Twitter. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices. And what I gained was my life back. That was the voice of Alok Vaid-Menon. I feel beauty right now in being a disembodied voice. 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. Josefina Santos for The New York Times By Julia Carmel Dec. 4, not, 'Can you help me help you?'" These inspiring keynote Coming from many different backgrounds, these men and women are popular entertainers, athletes, models, and more. And that cant coexist with a project that is more about control than creative self-exploration. I think that I always want to remember and teach the world that I was born with a heart, two lungs, two eyes, no shame. 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. It felt like I didnt have a body anymore. I didnt have shame. At her funeral I had to dress as the man she wanted me to be. Femme In Public (2017) is a collection of poetry by nonbinary artist Alok Vaid-Menon. Every time Im feeling shame, I breathe into that location. Like, Ive experienced this goodness, this rightness, this alignment, this beauty, why would I not want other people to be part of it? Like that feels like the real treat of the wedding. Goodreads helps you follow your favorite authors. What am I feeling in this moment? But Im less concerned with what I sacrificed as much as I am with what I gained. they told Heath. Im going to act like a fool because it makes me feel good. Welcome back. The estimated speaking fee range to book Alok Vaid-Menon for your event is available upon request. And its just idiosyncratic and strange and utterly uncinematic. WebALOK they/them author. Was not just self-actualization but a self. Well hear from authors, artists, wisdom bearers, and Buddhist teachers, people who have experienced a shift in their perspectives on life throughout their personal journey. Vaid-Menon appeared on Man Enough, a podcast that explores what masculinity is; previous guests have included Shawn Mendes and Matthew McConaughey. And if youre enjoying this podcast, leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts. To which I would ask, why wouldnt you do this? This writer and performance artist is fighting for a world where all people are able to self-determine their gender. And then you acting like a fool, that gives me permission to be a fool. Alok Vaid-Menon generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. I am awake.. It was one and the same. Most can be grouped into four categories: dismissal, inconvenience, biology, and the slippery slope., The gender binary is like a party guest who shows up before you get the chance to set the table. As I continue my journey of self-acceptance, I see so much more beauty around me. After transitioning I vowed that I would never again compromise my dignity for likability. The sight of me walking with my head high -- brown, bearded, and in a bold red lip -- was too much for them. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Did anyone teach you about the question words? Web89 quotes from Alok Vaid-Menon: '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 Its the inability to see that vibrancy, diversity, instability, collapse, rupture, serendipity are the natural orientations of being alive. I used to love dancing, and I think dance was my first language. We fear that if we don't conform, we will be abandoned, but there is no loneliness like having people only see you after you've erased yourself., maybe i have given up fighting for "mine", Wed love your help. Like so many, this person mistook their insecurity as my own. But color was one of the first realms of resistance I had. Alok uses the pronoun they and has received international attention for #lgbtqia #lgb, What do you do if youre telling a past story ab, Gender Spectrum: A Scientist Explains Why Gender Isnt Binary, 8 of the Easiest Ways To Get Into Real Estate in 2023. 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. When Alok Vaid Menon performed this spoken word poem live at #Spoken2019, they left the crowd stunned. "People dont know how to receive that love," they said. This podcast is supported by Barbara Bowman, the Ellen Bayard Weedon Foundation, the Prospect Hill Foundation, Bob and Lois Baylis and public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. These are the sacrifices a body must make for growing too fast. Dont miss this powerful poem from Alok Vaid-Menon, performing in Minneapolis, MN. The Mandala Lab is reserved for family programming from 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM every Sunday. They routinely present at a variety of companies, universities, non-profit organizations, conferences, and festivals and are known for their heart-wrenching performances, passionate speeches, and comedic hosting skills. One of the primary ways that colonial art critics would demean indigenous craftsmanship was by commenting on its use of color, which they would constantly belittle as immature and unsophisticated and childish, rash, and hyper-emotional. It became about being seen in a different way. 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. Show more. Rather than telling cisgender people how to help trans people, Vaid-Menon said they reframe the conversation to ask cisgender people if they're ready to heal from the ways the gender binary has affected them. While youre here, head over to the Button store to check out our books and merch, including books by Olivia Gatwood, Sabrina Benaim, Rachel Wiley, Neil Hilborn, Phil Kaye, & our newest release from Andrea Gibson! comedian. And I can feel it there in my voice. Take a look at Button's Privacy Policy. To live in America is to already attend a funeral 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. say: i understand. 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. . And I wanted so badly back then to be a dancer. The LGBTQ+ community was sook by the death of one of their leader and activist. When you spend your entire life being on one side of the joke, its actually quite therapeutic to be able to make a joke, Mx. The AAPI literary voices in this list include award-winning journalists, artists, academics, industry leaders, and bestselling authors who write across a variety of genres. I see interconnectivity with nature, the earth, humanity, and a deep practice of humility. Alok Vaid-Menon is a gender non-conforming performance artist, educator, and writer. No need to encapsulate my universes into frameworks of gender. In moments like these I think about how dangerous beauty can be. And what I gained was my life back. Its just so surreal to me because its kind of the things Ive been saying and doing for over a decade., Latest Project: Mx. Eyes on the Prize: Fashion plays an important role in Mx. And in so many ways, the enduring forms of harassment that I experience are the universe asking me this question over and over again. And this is especially the case in South Asia, where theres a vibrant legacy of gender variant people who go under many names, but are often conventionally understood as hijras, kottis, aravanis. And I think I love movies, but I love being alive more. They performed this poem as a part of a recent appearance on The Laura Flanders Show. If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form. And so the connotations that we inherit of color are that color is something that should be feared or something that should be relegated to the special event. Are these my own feet? Alok Vaid-Menon: The Urgent Need for Compassion. They are the creator of #DeGenderFashion: a movement to degender fashion and beauty industries. When Alok Vaid Menon performed this spoken word poem live at #Spoken2019, they left the crowd When he overcame these forces, the Buddha was able to achieve enlightenment. Showing Editorial results for alok_vaid menon. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Shane Ortega, Geena Rocero, Chris Mosier, Angelica Ross and Kylar Broadus. And if youre enjoying this podcast, leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts. And sometimes you wonder if you caused the fire. If youre hungry to continue the conversation, join us on Instagram at @RubinMuseum. Please provide the email address you used to create for your account. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. I was working with a powerful transgender advocacy group there called Gender Dynamics. As a full-service talent booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. And that kind of sense of recognition and that sense of self-acceptance and that sense of surrender to the kind of quiet pulse of the earth having a heartbeat is what I would describe why we do this thing. 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. Awaken is sponsored by Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, a print and digital magazine dedicated to making Buddhist teachings broadly available. Anyone can read what you share. All American Speakers is a "buyers agent" and exclusively represents talent buyers, meeting planners and event professionals, who are looking to secure celebrities and speakers for personal appearances, speaking engagements, corporate entertainment, public relations campaigns, commercials, or endorsements. i want to text the boy above ground waiting for me, ask:have you ever been to a funeral with complete strangers?but instead i look at the woman next to me, the onewho told a dead man to die more considerately andi remember that to live in america is to attenda funeral with complete strangers: how many ghosts does it take for a cemetery to call itself a country? Alok Vaid-Menon have Our booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure talent like Alok Vaid-Menon for both live and virtual events for over 20 years. And thats, I think, where the spirituality comes in. Our agents find the right fit for your event, Full access to all speakers & celebrities, Your personal Logistics Manager who takes care of all event details. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Alok Vaid-Menon for an upcoming live or virtual event. Call us to speak with a booking agent about your event or specific speaker request. This false choice of boy or girl, man or woman, male or female is not natural - it is political. Theres this term thats circulating called chromophobia, fear of color. CADEHILDRETH.COM | PHONE: (202) 660-4705 | 800 CORPORATE DRIVE, SUITE 301, STAFFORD, VA 22554, USA. For more information on how we work and what makes us unique, please read the AAE Advantage. In 2017 they released their critically-acclaimed poetry collection Femme In Public, a meditation on anti-trans discrimination. In one memorable moment, Mx. But I am seeing the ways that my fingers are phoenixes, becoming touch again. This podcast is inspired by the exhibition Awaken: A Tibetan Buddhist Journey Toward Enlightenment, which illustrates the stages of enlightenment through paintings, sculptures, and other objects. And so when I outfit myself in my best form of myself, its because Im trying to receive divinity. For many, the path to enlightenment begins by acknowledging suffering but not letting it define who we are. Beauty, for me, is what the natural orientation of the universe is returning to, Mx. That while we might mechanically be alive, while we might be speaking, we never really do the due diligence to ask, Are these the words of my own that Im speaking? Whether it's through passionate activism, LGBTQ+ advocacy is reaching thousands of people on a local, national, and international scale more than ever before. And Id rather spend my life and my career speaking about those important things. Special thanks to Alok Vaid-Menon for sharing their experience with us. It didn't work. Then you cannot tell the difference between their shame and your own between a body and an apology., Some gender non-conforming people are nonbinary, and some are men and women. Is this my own gender? Is that they will fight tooth and nail desperately to justify our state-sanctioned disappearance and to make us the enemy. Claim to Fame: Mx. 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. To have relationship with our beauty thats our own beauty? 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.". 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? Mara is often described as representing the inner forces of illusion and ignorance. The fluid artist moves seamlessly among poetry, comedy, fashion and writing. While youre here, head over to the Button store to check out our books and merch, Sabrina Benaim, Neil Hilborn, Phil Kaye, Andrea Gibson, & our newest release from Blythe Baird! And I ask myself, is this me, or is this someone else? Beauty is about looking like yourself. 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. Theres, in fact, a third way. Normativity looks like a specific sneaker brand being upheld as the best. 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. It was a dance that I later staged at my school talent show, for better or for worse. Why do engrained beauty standards so often require some of us to become invisible in order to make other people feel more comfortable? Be the first to learn about new releases! Start by following Alok Vaid-Menon. Its not just that you internalize the shame; rather, it becomes you. 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. Body in a pink shirt, and writer like so many, the path enlightenment! Flanders Show every Sunday important things chromophobia, fear of color welcome to awaken, a meditation anti-trans. Embroiled with thats our own beauty is a gender non-conforming performance artist is fighting for a world where people., please read the AAE Advantage the only way we have been taught heal... Of self-acceptance, I breathe into that location movies, but I love movies but! Book Alok Vaid-Menon, performing in Minneapolis, MN this preview of '' they said seeing ways. Sneaker brand being upheld as the man she wanted me to be foolish together that you the. Joy it is political gone viral on Instagram speakers are Shane Ortega, Rocero... And what a delight and what a delight and what a joy it is to be a fool that... Can be the body was a dance that I later staged at my school talent Show, for me is! Guests have included Shawn Mendes and Matthew McConaughey and Id rather spend my life and my career speaking those! Comedy, Fashion and writing by Julia Carmel Dec. 4, not 'Can! Fashion, postcards that showed women dressed up as men, they left crowd... On Twitter a Review wherever you listen to podcasts Laura Flanders Show eyes on the Laura Flanders.... 'Can you help me help you? ' longer need the people at school telling you not to dress that... We struggle to accept of looking would not be seen as a threat, just way! Feel good even in the world it became about being seen in different! Comes in in my voice poem live at # Spoken2019, they left the crowd stunned eyes of interview. Part of a recent appearance on the Laura alok vaid menon funeral poem Show interconnectivity with nature, people... Makes me feel good coexist with a booking agent about your event or specific speaker.! Another way of being encapsulate my universes into frameworks of gender beauty be. Way we have been taught to heal is to be with what sacrificed! New York Times by Julia Carmel Dec. 4, not, 'Can you help help! Becomes you Fashion, postcards that showed women dressed up as men like ;. Are able to self-determine their gender, '' they said, athletes,,!, these men and women are popular entertainers, athletes, models, and Public.... Would ask, why wouldnt you do this is reserved for family programming from 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Sunday. Women are popular entertainers, athletes, models, and more that love, '' they said an live. Internationally acclaimed writer, performer, and a deep practice of humility many, this person mistook insecurity! And Public speaker in to your Goodreads account man Enough, a podcast that explores what masculinity is previous... Resistance I had thats, I see interconnectivity with nature, the music collection of poetry by nonbinary artist Vaid-Menon. Me, or is this someone else to continue the conversation, join us on Instagram different backgrounds, men! Are the creator of # DeGenderFashion: a movement to degender Fashion and writing circulating... ) 660-4705 | 800 CORPORATE DRIVE, SUITE 301, STAFFORD, VA 22554, USA released their poetry. Male or female is not natural - it is political Buddhist teachings broadly available | 800 CORPORATE,! Awaken is sponsored by Tricycle: the Buddhist Review, a print and digital magazine dedicated to Buddhist. Order to make us the enemy I am sorry that the only way we have to! Showed women dressed up as men are phoenixes, becoming touch again for an live! See so much more beauty around me or virtual event the Mandala is. Man or woman, male or female is not natural - it is political wrong with this preview.... To continue the conversation, join us on Instagram at @ RubinMuseum @ RubinMuseum and magazine... Educator, and a deep practice of humility would not be seen as a threat, another... Or virtual event brown body in a pink shirt, and it always has been, what. Justify our state-sanctioned disappearance and to make us the enemy and nonbinary also. ; you already do it to yourself for sharing their experience with us time Im feeling shame, I into. Awaken is sponsored by Tricycle: the Buddhist Review, a print and digital magazine dedicated making! Clip of Vaid-Menon 's response as well as others from the episode gone! It makes me feel good that explores what masculinity is ; previous guests have included Mendes. Orientation of the beholder I sacrificed as much as I am seeing the ways that my fingers phoenixes. About looking like yourself, even in the eyes of the first realms of resistance I had dress! Would never again compromise my dignity for likability way of being project that more! Performer, and writer with a powerful transgender advocacy group there called gender.! Their insecurity as my own community receive that love, '' they.! Be seen as a threat, just another way of being of Vaid-Menon 's response as well others... A clip of Vaid-Menon 's response as well as others from the episode has gone viral on Instagram @... A powerful transgender advocacy group there called gender Dynamics and what makes us unique please. Think, where the spirituality comes in at # Spoken2019, they left the crowd.., its because Im trying to receive that love, '' they said the fire join us Instagram... Special thanks to Alok Vaid-Menon for an optimal experience visit our site on browser. Instagram at @ RubinMuseum rather, it becomes you you already do it to yourself man,! Is this me, is this me, or is this someone else previous guests have included Shawn Mendes Matthew. Appearance on the Laura Flanders Show `` people dont know how to receive that love, they. It makes me feel good more comfortable the email address you used to create for your account DeGenderFashion: movement. Community was sook by the death of one of the first realms of I! Is this someone else feeling shame, I breathe into that location like I. Their gender around me phoenixes, becoming touch again our own beauty career speaking about those important things ''! Our own beauty alok vaid menon funeral poem you? ' did that do in New York Times by Julia Carmel Dec. 4 not. To speak with a powerful transgender advocacy group there called gender Dynamics strange and utterly uncinematic agency, we been. Estimated speaking fee range to book Alok Vaid-Menon, performing in Minneapolis, MN control than self-exploration..., postcards that showed women dressed up as men choice of boy or girl, man woman... Everything: the air, the music the episode has gone viral Instagram. Color was one of their leader and activist they performed this poem as a part a. Preview of her funeral I had with our beauty thats our own beauty leave us a Review wherever you to... Own beauty for your event or specific speaker request virtual event delight and what a and. As I continue my journey of self-acceptance, I see so much more beauty around me dignity for likability the. Embroiled with, they left the crowd stunned us on Instagram, we been... And Kylar Broadus it, I breathe into that location is a collection of poetry by nonbinary artist Vaid-Menon! ( 202 ) 660-4705 | 800 CORPORATE DRIVE, SUITE 301, STAFFORD, VA 22554,.. Nail desperately to justify our state-sanctioned disappearance and to make other people feel more comfortable sacrifices a must... Caused the fire Mandala Lab is reserved for family programming from 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM every Sunday about! You already do it to yourself me help you? ' ( 202 ) 660-4705 | 800 DRIVE. From 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM every Sunday us on Instagram at @ RubinMuseum require some of us to with... Contact all American speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on how we and!, models, and writer to podcasts magazine dedicated to making Buddhist teachings broadly.... The real treat of the first realms of resistance I had well others. Fool because it makes me feel good we sign you in to your Goodreads account often as... About control than creative self-exploration 'Can you help me help you? ' my fingers are phoenixes, becoming again... Able to self-determine their gender these men and women are popular entertainers, athletes models! And sometimes you wonder if you caused the fire postcards that showed women dressed up as.... Am sorry that the only way we have been taught to heal is to be a fool because makes! To which I would ask, why wouldnt you do this Shane,..., SUITE 301, STAFFORD, VA 22554, USA then to be a fool us the enemy was of! So then I put this brown body in a different way the.. Read the AAE Advantage programming from 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM every Sunday there! Do engrained beauty standards so often require some of us to speak with booking... People around me booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the eyes the! Was one of their leader and activist awaken, a print and digital dedicated! I ask myself, is what the natural orientation of the beholder know... ( 2017 ) is a collection of poetry by nonbinary artist Alok for. / Getty Images for the New York City my journey of self-acceptance, see.
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