The first time I heard of the term that is utilized as the title of this image was when I was in middle school during a class reading of “Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry” by Mildred D. Taylor but it was used as an insult. To my knowledge, it remains a derogatory term but the image itself is open to interpretation and not necessarily tied to its title. In response to Safiya’s post, this painting reminds me of Menon’s text in which they state,  “I do not have the luxury of being. I am only seen as doing. As if my gender is something that is being done to them and not something that belongs to me” (Beyond the Gender Binary, 16) because this image seems to be painted through the eyes of the observer, instead of being depicted through the individual’s experience as they discover their identity. There also appears to be some sort of expression being represented through the colors that were utilized for this painting. The black that remains between the masculine and feminine representations can be interpreted as the oppressions that keep the two from being able to blend in socially “acceptable” ways and so one is forced to be one or the other because society constantly fights to keep its norms because it is what feels safe to those who have the power of sticking to what has been assigned. It is the misinterpretation as well as misinformation of what it means to be non-binary that does not allow the concept to flourish. Menon states, “The scrutiny of our bodies distracts us from what’s really going on here: control. The emphasis on our appearance distracts us from the real focus: power.” (17), expressing that although there are greater oppressors to focus on, the focus is placed on an individual’s identity.

The colors on the other hand appear to represent a sense of liberation in oneself and because it is a journey of self discovery that is not linear, the colors of each individual represented in this painting remains incomplete. Going back to the term that was chosen as the title of this painting, I think in a way, it reflects the forces of oppression that a non-binary individual faces because it is a derogatory label, in the same way that these forces serve as a form of degradation and dismissal. This dismissal of an individual’s personal experiences and the yearning to have a control over prevents an individual from fully developing themselves into who they are. Menon states, “This is not about erasing men and women but rather acknowledging that man and woman are two of many–stars in a constellation that do not compete but amplify one another’s shine.” (60), in response to the forces of oppression as well as fear from those who wish to remain within societal norms. I think this split in society is also represented through the backgrounds chosen in the painting, possibly with hopes of one day blending with acceptance, like the numerous cultures, such as the Native American culture, in which gender is not fixated on simply male and female. One more thing that I would like the point out within this painting is that lack of facial features for the two people, which in a sense could support the idea that masculine and feminine features do not have to be represented in any particular form.