The speaker, writer Alok Vaid-Menon, gives out his thoughts on the meaning of going out of the gender binary norms. He compares gender identity to the stars in the sky. For him, manhood (Being a male) and womanhood (Being a female) shouldn’t be constricted into the two opposing options that have been taught and have been the priority on our society traditions throughout human history, without leaving people without people’s rights to be a woman or a man. In his opinion categorizing millions of people into two categories doesn’t work. Coming back to the star comparison. He reminisces the saying “Men are from mars and women are for Venus” taking this saying further away, with the explanation that the rest of the planets are for every other gender, including Non-binary, which he identify as. He hopes that nowadays there’s a world where people can be whatever they choose to be without being misjudged unfairly and persecuted for silly existing. And although I don’t completely agree with everything he thinks, but a point of view is a point of view, and everyone is free to choose and believe what they see as correct.

In what to me refers, I identify as a cis-gender female person. I know that studies say that people tend to express and experience gender in different and complex ways, and I’m sure that’s how people go about, but I don’t really consider that I have ever went against the binary norms in any way. Even as a child, I’ve always been really feminine, engaging on usual “girly” activities, like cheerleading, doing my make-up, and more so, following the example of my mother who as an office worker, has always had a very feminine way to go ahead on how she dressed, how she talked, and how she generally interacted with people around her. Even later on in my life, being a woman has continued being a most wonderful experience for me, because that gave me the opportunity of carrying a life inside me and hearing the word “Mommy” come from a sweet voice. In what I do agree, is that women shouldn’t be just seen as “Sensible” and “Fragile” beings. We are hard workers, we are strong, smart, and are able to be independent. For many years, society has tried to put us apart in a box where we could just see and be quiet. But both. Our voices need to be heard.