Writer, artist and professional joy-bringer Taryn de Vere joined Jennifer Zamparelli on RTÉ 2FM to discuss her journey to identifying as genderqueer. Listen back above.
"I think most people would call it non-binary," Taryn tells Jen, explaining the term genderqueer. "I don't particularly like the term non-binary because I think you're kind of defining yourself by what you're not rather than defining yourself by what you are."
The word genderqueer refers to a person who does not follow binary gender norms. It is used as an umbrella term for those who may be non-binary, agender, pangender, genderfluid, or another gender identity.
Reflecting on the power of words and the importance of identity, the Australian native told Jen that accepting the label of genderqueer has been truly empowering.
"I felt like a huge weight had lifted off my shoulders. I felt like I didn't have to pretend anymore, and the feeling of relief was so tremendous that it made me really realise what a true thing this is for me. That was wonderfully affirming for me because I spent a long time interrogating my motives over this."
Although Taryn was initially nervous to label herself as genderqueer, some podcast-heavy research led her to the realisation that there are "loads of different ways to do gender" and that she could see herself in a lot of the stories she heard from those in the LGBTQ+ community.
When it comes to pronouns, Taryn insists that she feels "so unaligned with a particular gender" that pronouns don't bother her. However, she acknowledges that pronouns can be incredibly important to others, including one of her own children who is transgender.
"It took me a while to develop that understanding that other people have a very different comprehension to how they experience gender," she explains.
When asked how it felt to finally live as her "true self", Taryn told Jen that she felt positively joyful:
"It feels liberating. It feels really liberating. I feel joyful exuberance. Even today when I was getting dressed I was thinking 'maybe I'll draw on a little moustache today'. I like the idea of just playing with my appearance."
Famously known as one of the most colourful people in Ireland, the stylish activist made headlines in January of this year for taking on the #ObjectDressChallenge whereby she dressed as a different household item every day of the month.
Speaking on this sense of play when it comes to fashion, Jen asked if Taryn thought this OTT costume dressing was part of her journey to identity.
"I've being doing the OTT costume thing for a long, long time. I think that's me exploring femininity and kind of playing with femininity. I never really tried to look sexy. I'm not interested in looking beautiful or sexy, I'm interested in looking fun and colourful and silly, that's why I have such a clown-y aesthetic."
"Like a genderqueer clown," she adds, laughing.
To hear Taryn's full chat with Jen Z on RTÉ 2FM, listen back above.
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