American teen drama, Euphoria happens to be one of the most talked-about shows currently and for all the right reasons. As its character Jules would put it, the show is trying to “obliterate” the gender binary. Two seasons of Euphoria have been released to date and through multiple storylines, it is shedding light on how gender is a construct and sexuality a spectrum. If only they made such shows back when we were all growing up and navigating the hazy territories of adulthood, sexuality, and gender! Sadly, in India, we are far from arriving at that point. This is why when celebs and influencers talk on these topics from personal experience, these narratives become even more important and valuable. Actress Konkona Sen Sharma did something similar recently and we are in awe.
Speaking to a popular magazine, the actress talked about her experience of gender and how she has always felt like she did not fit into any of the socially defined categories. Konkona further added that she identifies as a gender-neutral person and associates with androgynous modes of expression. She explained, “I don’t view myself as a woman. I see myself as being completely neutral. Gender is a taught concept that I don’t relate to. Even when I have to be very feminine in a film, I have to learn how to. There’s no one way of being a woman or a man or anything in between… I’ve always felt a bit androgynous.”
She further added, “Ever since I was young, I was quite comfortable with not fitting in. And that’s mainly because of my parents, who ensured I had a very unconventional, liberal upbringing. In fact, I am slightly suspicious when everything is uniform; it becomes almost claustrophobic.” During the interview, Konkona thanked her parents for the liberal upbringing that helped her experience gender in ways that suited her the best without adhering to the heteronormative ideals of society.
The actress is mother to an 11-year-old now and has been training him to be a freethinker. “By being a freethinker, I specifically mean not subscribing to conventional, societal norms, moralities, or expectations. I do think alone time, introspection, reflection, and daydreaming are important, and everybody should learn to spend some time with themselves. I always tell my son that he’s a freethinker and that no-one can tell him what to think. Yes, there are certain rules he has to follow; being in a society, there is some level of tolerance he needs to learn. But in his mind, he’s free to think,” she shares.
Think about this, dear reader— did you always feel like a man or woman? Or did society condition you into becoming a cishet person? We wonder what the world would be like if we had no concept of gender whatsoever. Kudos to Konkona for sharing her story!
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