Interview: Alok Vaid-Menon of ALOK at Pantages

Alok Vaid-Menon (they/them) is an internationally acclaimed performance artist whose work explores themes of trauma, belonging, and the human condition. In 2021 they headlined the New York Comedy Festival and in 2022 they will be headlining the Just for Laughs Festival in Vancouver. They are the author of "Beyond the Gender Binary" (2020) which has been described as a "clarion call for a new approach to gender in the 21st century" and the poetry books "Femme in Public" (2017) and "Your Wound / My Garden" (2021). On screen, they will next shoot the Netflix/Blumhouse feature film ABSOLUTE DOMINION. They have also appeared in the Netflix docu-series Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness, HBO's late-night sketch series Random Acts of Flyness and the documentary "The Trans List".

Alok spoke at the Pantages Theatre in Minneapolis. I attended this event and it was a beautiful evening, especially for Pride month! The audience enjoyed Alok and having Alok speak through topics and conversations, including racism and the trans community, poetry, comedy, and more. It was an inspiring evening!

We chat with Alok about their experience and Pride!

How does it feel to have live audiences back?

It feels exhilarating. I missed this so much. That's why I'm going so hard on tour -- I really love live art and it's just not been the same without it.

You're an author, speaker, poet, and comedian, what made you want to pursue all of those outlets?

I don't really experience them as distinct. I've always just had something to say and I gravitate to the forums and methods that allow me to best say it. I'm quite ambivalent about categorization. I think they hold us back. It's more about the meaning and the message.

Who were you influences and inspirations?

I take a lot of inspiration from the history of queer and trans performance. Two icons I want to lift up are Sylvester the queen of disco from the 1970s and Sir Lady Java a drag performer from the 60s and 70s.. Everyone pressured Sylvester to "tone it down" and stop being "so feminine" on stage but they stayed true to themselves and inspired a whole generation. Sir Lady Java organized to repeal the anti-drag laws in Los Angeles. Despite attempted criminalization, she continued to pursue her art form. There's a famous story of her continuing to perform even after 50 LAPD officers came in to shut down her show. That practice of conviction and confidence, that commitment and love to your craft, it's so inspirational.

How does it feel to be doing your show in Minneapolis during Pride month?

It feels super important to be here now. Across the country trans and non-binary people are experiencing exacerbated discrimination. I wanted to create a space that held both how far we've come as a community as well as how much further we have to go. One that braids celebration with critique, grief with gratitude. I think that's what Pride should be about: not just a party, but a protest.

What does Pride month mean to you?

I live Pride 24/7. So Pride month means there are more eyes and more attention directed toward artists like me, but we're here all the time! I hope that we can get to a place where people regard our worth year round.

What do you hope audiences take away from you when you connect through them, whether it would be through your poetry and speaking engagements?

I hope that they feel love. That they know that they have a fundamental and intrinsic worth just for being, not for doing. Ultimately I hope my work in all of its forms is received as a love poem.

What is a message you have for the LGBTQ+ community?

We have to come together and support one another. We need each other to get free.

Do you have a favorite spot in Minneapolis?

Not sure I have one spot in particular, but I do love spending time in the parks!

Thank you so much Alok for your time!

Photo courtesy of Alok and Jared Fessler

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