For Alok, moving beyond the gender binary means breaking away from stereotypes and being comfortable with who you are. Alok had written, “The gender binary is more concerned with gender norms than it is with us” (Alok 27). I see this quote because society is more focused on what stereotypes and norms we should be following, and the people claim it as having “self-respect” when in reality they are upset we aren’t doing as they ask us to. Alok wants us to notice and realize what we are and be comfortable in our skin while also respecting and understanding what gender norms and what gender is. It isn’t the same as someone’s biological sex, but it’s about the way you express yourself and how you feel most comfortable. Many people don’t dress a certain way because they are afraid of what others might say to them, but that’s the point of this book. It teaches you why you should move beyond those stereotypes and the stares of others. When it comes to my gender, I identify as a woman, but I do consider myself non-conforming to gender stereotypes. Sometimes I don’t dress the way a woman “should” dress because of how uncomfortable others make me feel. I also feel a lot more comfortable with those big, baggy clothes. I’ve recently been experimenting with my style and trying to be more comfortable in my own body and explore my taste more openly, without feeling uncomfortable in front of anyone else. In the way, it does fit into binary norms, as if I were to wear ‘girly’ colors and act more feminine. I’m still feminine and consider myself a woman, but the way I dress or express myself doesn’t matter because I know who I am, and I’m becoming happy/comfortable with who I am and want to be. Ultimately, gender fluidity all comes down to the way you want to express yourself and how you want others to see you. This also doesn’t give anyone an excuse to attack another because of their different perspectives; everyone should respect each other and be open to learning more about that person and how they view themselves/want to be viewed. With this, I will end with this quote, “… stars in a constellation that do not compete but amplify one another’s shine” (Alok 60). Thank you for listening to my TedTalk (it’s a joke lol).
4 thoughts on “Jade Pimentel Discussion 3”
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Hi Jade!
I’m so happy you’ve been experimenting with your style and seeing what works for you. While it’s great to be comfortable, sometimes stepping out of our comfort zones for a little while can open our eyes to something we never even knew we liked or wanted! I hope you can reach a point where you’re comfortable in your body and with your self expression. 🙂
Hi Jade!
I love the way you defined moving beyond the gender binary as breaking away from stereotypes and being comfortable with who you are. The gender binary and gender norms are completely based around stereotypes and in order to make any progress society would need to change their mindset and leave gender stereotypes in the past! It can be difficult to feel comfortable, especially around other people, when going through self exploration. I think its amazing that you are experimenting with your gender expression despite those challenges, everyone deserves to be their authentic selves and not worry about what others think!
Hello Jade,
All in all, I really liked your response. Hearing you say that you’ve been experimenting and finding out what makes you more comfortable sounds awesome. Growing up, I’ve always been stuck in a position where I had to dress a certain way growing up but as soon as I hit high school, I started experimenting and finding out what I like and don’t like. It feels like a fin adventure and it feels amazing when you’re able to find something that you like and feel comfortable with.
Hi Jade!
I really enjoyed your post and thank you for sharing about yourself. I’m glad you dress how you find most comfortable and express yourself as you please. It’s so important to follow what you want and be yourself.