UAlok Vaid-Menon.UDavid Khorassani woBukele Xa kuziwa kwi-Alok Vaid-Menon, ukusebenza akubekelwa bucala. Ukusebenza kwayo yonke into ngalo lonke ixesha, umntu oneminyaka eyi-25 kutsha nje uxelele i-Braganca, ngelixa ehleli esihlalweni esibomvu se-Public Theatre eLafayette Street.
I-Vaid-Menon-iphakame ngokungathi yonyawo ngaphezulu kwam-ibonakala inkulu kodwa ikwangumbala.
Ndijonge kancinci ukuba kushushu kangakanani kwaye kungathatha ixesha elingakanani ukufika apha kwizithende, bona-uVaid-Menon usebenzisa isimelabizo sabo ngokuchaseneyo nesini sokubini-ndixelele ngokuhleka kwamathandabuzo emva kokuba sizinzile kwimizuzu embalwa Kamva, kwaye ukubila kuyomile ebunzini labo. Ndijonge ezantsi ukuze ndibone isibini se-chunky, enemibala e-raspberry, yesikhumba, yeebhutsi ezinamaqhina ezikroba phantsi kwetafile. Banxibe umbane — ezimfutshane ezimfutshane ezinemigca emfutshane, imilebe epinki engacacanga.
I-Vaid-Menon yaziwa njengeyona ndawo yokuhanjiswa, igama elithethwayo eMzantsi Asia kunye nokusebenza kobugcisa bobugcisa i-DarkMatter, intsebenziswano kunye nomfundi afunda naye kwiYunivesithi yaseStanford uJanani Balasubramanian. Ngokudibeneyo, aba babini benze imibongo yabo kwiindawo ezinje ngeLa MaMa Experimental Theatre, iMyuziyam yaseBrooklyn, iNuyorican Poets Café kunye neworkshop yaseAsia American Writer's Workshop. Kwakhona kutshanje bavele kumnyhadala weLasita weLincoln Centre, umnyhadala weQueer wezoBugcisa waMazwe ngaMazwe kunye noMthendeleko woLuntu phantsi komnyhadala weRadar, ngeeseti zemibongo ezithethwayo eziyinxalenye elinganayo kwezopolitiko kunye nokuhlekisa kodwa zineemvakalelo ezaneleyo zokukukhalisa. Endaweni yokuseta repertoire, i-duo iveza imibongo emitsha ngalo lonke ixesha. Isini kunye nohlanga zihlala ziphambili; umzekelo, kumbongo omnye obizwa ngokuba yi-White Fetish, i-DarkMatter ihlekisa ngendlela abantu abanemibala bahlala bethathwa okanye bethandwe ngaphandle (ndifuna ukuvuka ecaleni kwevumba… lobulungu be-NPR). Kwesinye, esibizwa ngokuba yiTrans / Generation, uVaid-Menon uthetha malunga nokuba kwakunjani ukuphuma kusapho lwabo. Kwintsapho yam, ukuphuma kukuncuma okwenziwe kwifoto yosapho, utshilo uVaid-Menon.
I-DarkMatter ikwangena kwi-nitty-gritty yezihloko ezilula, njengokuthandana kwi-Intanethi, kwimidlalo yabo. Xa i-duo isesiteji, ihlala ivakalelwa ngokungathi bayathetha ngokuthe ngqo kubaphulaphuli babo kunokuba bathethe nabo.
Kude kube ngoku, iingoma ezithandwayo zemibongo yezengqondo kwezomthetho zibeke isiseko esiqhelekileyo seDarkMatter, ukuba inokubizwa njalo. Imibongo yabo ethethwayo ayisiyombongo yesiko lesiqhelo, endaweni yoko yamkela imiba yobugcisa bokusebenza ngaphandle kokuqonda ngokuthe ngqo. I-duo iyayikhaba imithetho ye-slam kwaye endaweni yoko izenzele eyayo ifomu, ehlala ibandakanya ukucula, ukucula, ukudanisa nokwenza.
Ngoku, uVaid-Menon utyhala edlula umsebenzi osele uwabekile emephini. Ukwenza njalo, banethemba lokudlala nangakumbi ngesixhobo sesandi-ngakumbi ngelizwi- kunye nokwamkela imiba ye-burlesque kunye nokutsala kumzamo wokukwazi ukufikelela kubuchule babo obupheleleyo njengamagcisa omsebenzi.
I-DarkMatter iqokelele oku kulandelayo, ngakumbi phakathi kwabafundi beekholeji, inani labantu elijolise ngokukodwa kwimicimbi yesazisi kumaziko abo omsebenzi. I-Vaid-Menon ibonisa ukubonakala okuthile kwimidiya yoluntu: I-DarkMatter inamagama angaphezulu kwama-36,000 abalandeli kwi-Instagram nakwi-18,000 kwi-Twitter. Banabalandeli kuzo zonke iindlela zobomi.
Umhlobo kamama wam eTexas wandishiya umyalezo ofana neminyaka emibini eyadlulayo apho [wandixelela], 'Imibongo yakho yayilixesha lokuqala ebomini bam ukuba ndikwazi ukuchaza okwenzekileyo ebomini bam njengomphambukeli,' undixelele u-Vaid-Menon. ukuba kumangalise ukuba lo mhlobo kwenzeke ukuba abe ngumfazi osele ethe chu. Into endenze ndacinga ukuba ngamandla obugcisa kukuba inokuthatha abantu ababini abangazange badibane naliphi na ixesha naphina emhlabeni kwaye ibanike unxibelelwano olusisiseko ngokwenene omnye komnye.
Usebenzisana nentsholongwane yakho, kunye nomama wakho, nendalo esingqongileyo, kunye nempahla yakho.
Ngaphambi kokuya eStanford, uVaid-Menon, umntwana wabazali baseIndiya nabamaMerika, wakhulela eSitishi seKholeji, eTexas-indawo abayixabisayo. Ukukhula eTexas endindivumele ukuba ndikwenze yayikukuba ngabahlobo nabantu ababehluke ngokusisiseko kunam, uVaid-Menon ucacisile. Indawo yandinyanzela [ukuba ndiqonde ukungxamiseka] kwalo mzuzu. Baye baqaphela abahlobo babo abazalelwe esixekweni abavela kwiindawo ezinje nge-LA okanye eNew York-le yokugqibela ngoku yindawo yokuhlala kaVaid-Menon-ihlala ingakhange iqonde imfuno yobutshantliziyo ngendlela efanayo.
U-Vaid-Menon wafudukela eNew York emva kwekholeji eyokulandela ubudlelwane kwi-Audre Lorde Project-iziko lesini lesini, isini, isini, isini, isini, nesini esingahambelani nabantu bebala- apho basaqhubeka nokusebenza namhlanje njengeengcambu. ukunyusa imali kunye nomnxibelelanisi wonxibelelwano.
Kwintetho ye-TEDx ka-2013 apho uVaid-Menon wayethetha nabafundi beKholeji yaseMiddlebury, bachaza ukuba umsebenzi wabo emva kweziganeko awukhazimli. Injongo yam kukuqinisekisa ukuba sinemali, engonwabisiyo kodwa iyimfuneko, bagxininisile. Ndiqale ukuqonda - into engcwele! - [Kuninzi kakhulu umsebenzi osemva]… ubutshantliziyo boluntu. Ngelixa uVaid-Menon eqaphela ukuba abantu abaninzi banomdla wokutyikityela imiboniso yoluntu, bambalwa abanomdla kwi-nitty-gritty ngasemva kwemiboniso, njengokuyila kunye nokushicilela amaphetshana. Kungumsebenzi ongenambulelo, kodwa kubalulekile.
Ukufika edolophini eyahlukileyo njengeNew York kwakunzima kumntu owayesele ezama ukuqonda ukuba zingahlanganiswa njani zonke iinkcukacha zabo zenkcubeko. Emva kwayo yonke loo nto, uVaid-Menon wakhulela kwidolophana encinci eTexas, waya eyunivesithi yaseCalifornia kwaye ungumntwana wabazali baseMzantsi Asia abadibana eCanada. Ukuqonda le nzame yoxinzelelo yayililize, uVaid-Menon wancama ukukhangela umphefumlo kwaye endaweni yoko wagqiba kwelokuba ekugqibeleni akunakwenzeka ukubambelela kwisimo esinye sobuntu.
Kwaye uVaid-Menon unesibindi esingaziwayo kwiinkalo ezininzi zobomi babo, kwanobugcisa babo. Kuninzi lomsebenzi wam wokuyila, andazi ukuba kuqhubeka ntoni, batsho. Kwaye yimpendulo yam leyo. Andazi… awunyanzelekanga ukuba uhlale usazi ukuba ungubani, wenza ntoni-ukuba usokola umzabalazo kuthethathethwano lokuba ungubani.
Kwi-Vaid-Menon, ukusebenza sisithuthi sokuthetha-thethana ukuba ngoobani. Yeyiphi intsebenzo yobugcisa ebenza ukuba yinyani kukuba yonke intsebenzo sele ihleli isebenza, bandixelele. Indlela esinxiba ngayo, indlela esithetha ngayo, indlela esicinga ngayo… Ndiziva ngathi icandelo lobugcisa lomsebenzi wento endiyenzayo yile ndiyenzayo. Kukuhamba phandle kwaye abantu bajonge kum kwaye babe ngathi, 'Ewe, unomdla, wow.' Luhlobo nje lokonwaba.
Ngelixa ezi mpendulo zivela kubantu abadlulayo ngamanye amaxesha zingenabungozi, i-Vaid-Menon's Instagram posts zihlala zijongana ngqo neziganeko ezinzima ngakumbi, ngamanye amaxesha kwifomu yesihobe, ngamanye amaxesha akunjalo.
Ngaphandle kwefoto enye apho banxibe isondo elide elinombala wegolide emazantsi kunye ne-bubblegum-blue lipstick, babhala, Kwabafazi abane be-trans ababekhombe kwaye bandihleka kwisitalato iW19th besithi 'ucinga ntoni Ndiyazibuza: kuvakala njani ukuba kwelinye icala lehlaya kube kanye? Ngaba yile nto siyilwelayo, ukuba sibe kwelinye icala lehlaya? ungandikholelwa ukuba bendinokuxelela ukuba ngale ntsasa ndijonge esipilini ndazibuza umbuzo ofanayo: ‘wenza ntoni?’ 
UAlok Vaid-Menon.UDavid Khorassani woBukele
Kwiintsuku ezimbalwa emva kokuba sithethile kwi-Theatre yoLuntu, kwavela umyalezo othembisayo xa u-Vaid-Menon eposti ku-Instagram ifoto endacelwa ukuba ndiyithathe ngaphandle kweqonga. Ngelixa uninzi lwee-Instagrammers kunokulindeleka ukuba lubandakanye ii-hashtag ezimbalwa ezingenacala okanye mhlawumbi i-emoji, uVaid-Menon wayila i-caption ende, ebizwa ngokuba yi-Gender EUPHORIA. Ekupheleni kwenkcazo ngamagama, ndifuna kakhulu ukuba abantu bazinike imvume yokuzama, ukugqithisa, ukugqithisa. Ndifuna kakubi ukuba ndikwazi ukuhamba ezitalatweni ngaphandle kokuba novuyo ohlwaywe ngaphandle kwam. Ndifuna kakubi ukwabelana ngale nto nawe. Oku (un) kuba.
Oku kungafunekiyo yingcinga ebonakala ngathi ivela kwiinkalo ezininzi zobomi bukaVaid-Menon. Umzekelo, bakholelwa ekubeni umntu omdala ngumdaniso. Njengokuba babeneminyaka eli-13 ubudala, baqhubeka nokubhala ebumnyameni kwaye bamamela iingoma ze-angsty zikaConor Oberst.
Ingqondo efanayo isebenza ngokubini phakathi komsebenzi kunye nokudlala. Ukwahlula phakathi 'kobomi bakho bobungcali' kunye nobomi bakho 'bobuqu' abukho, uVaid-Menon ucacisa, esongeza ukuba ukusebenzisana kwabo noBalasubramanian kwakungasayi kuba yintsebenziswano kunengxoxo yethu.
Ukudibaniselwano nawe, wandixelela uVaid-Menon. Usebenzisana nentsholongwane yakho, kunye nomama wakho, nendalo esingqongileyo, kunye nempahla yakho. Yonke into ihambelana.
Endaweni yokuyila iziqwenga ezizodwa ezichazwe lixesha nendawo, ukusebenza kuye kwafana nendlela yokuphila kaVaid-Menon, ozabalazela ukuhlala njengegcisa ngalo lonke ixesha. Akufani nokuba ungumculi kuphela xa ubhala umbongo okanye… xa useqongeni.
Ngokutsho kwembongi, abantu abatshintsha igazi kulindeleke ukuba bazishiye kude notsalo, kodwa uVaid-Menon udilika ngqo kwimiba ye-burlesque kunye nomsebenzi wakhe. Ngelinye ixesha nditsho nokuthetha phakathi, Owu thixo wam- kumnandi kakhulu!
Bakwadlala ngezinto zelizwi, kubandakanya i-loop pedal njengesiphumo sesandi. Oko bekumnandi ngokwenene, uVaid-Menon uphawule ngendlela efanayo endinokucinga ngayo ukuba umntu angathi emva kokungcamla icaviar yexabiso eliphezulu. Batsibe ithuba lokwabelana ngeendaba zokuba bathatha izifundo zokucula-umzamo uVaid-Menon ubanga iingqondo zabo, ngenxa yolwalamano lwabo nelizwi labo belisoloko lingcangcazela. Bendingazithembi kakhulu ngelizwi lam kuba xa bendizama ukudlula njenge [cisgender] indoda ethe tye, ilizwi lam belisoloko liyinto yokuqala endingcatshayo, ndicacisa ukuba nokuva ilizwi labo kumatshini wokuphendula kwakunzima kakhulu.
I-DarkMatter ayinazo naziphi na izicwangciso zobukhazikhazi kwikamva elikufutshane, ngokuyinxenye kuba benze umkhwa wokuhamba, njengoko indlela ngoku iyindawo uVaid-Menon aziva kakhulu ngayo ekhaya. Ndiyonwabele kakhulu… ukukhwela inqwelo moya kunye nokufika kwenye indawo endingayaziyo. Kodwa i-DarkMatter izakubuya, ijikeleze kwiikholeji ezahlukeneyo nakwiiyunivesithi kwilizwe liphela ngasekupheleni konyaka.
Isizathu sokuba uVaid-Menon anenjongo yokuhamba kwezopolitiko. Lo nyaka ubenzima, ngokuka Vaid-Menon-uluntu olujikelezayo kutshanje luzilile nge-18 yokubhengezwa kokubulawa komfazi ohamba ngombala kulo nyaka. Sihlala sibuza, Senza ntoni, senza ntoni? U-Vaid-Menon uthe, echaza ukuba ubugcisa buhlala bububungqina bokusebenza, kunye nentlungu. Kufana nokwandiswa kweendaba zobundlobongela, batsho. Sifana nje, 'Oo, enye into yokubulala.'
Ekupheleni kosuku, eyona njongo iphambili kaVaid-Menon kukuqinisekisa abanye kwihlabathi liphela. Ndifuna ukuba abantu bakwazi ukuza kwimiboniso yam kwaye bakwazi ukuziva bondlekile kwiindawo zabo ezihlala zihlekwa, zibekwa amabala, zigxothwa. Ndifuna ukwenza iindawo apho abantu banokuhamba ukusuka ekukhaleni ukuya ekuhlekeni nasekukhaleni kwakhona. Kwaye ndicinga ukuba yinkqubo enzulu yezopolitiko.
