- What makes a boy a boy?
- An X and a Y chromosome?
- Oh, so is there anything to name on the outside
of somebody?
- Like-- - Genitalia.
- What? - Yeah.
That's on the outside, I'm just saying.
- I don't know where we're going.
- Yeah.
(laughing) (whimsical music)
I'm Mikayla.
- Mikayla, nice to meet you.
I'm Nanta.
- Nice to meet you.
- And I'm Sander.
- Sander, and I'm Nanta.
- Nice to meet you. - Nice to meet you.
Do either one of you or both of you
know why you're here today?
- I think it has something to do,
like gender nonbinary?
- Or nonconforming.
- Yeah, yeah, both, yes.
So gender nonconforming, and nonbinary.
Do either of you know what that means?
- I think, at least as far as I know,
it's like, that you don't necessarily fit
into a single gender.
Do you feel like neither gender or both genders,
or some of each?
- So I still identify as being cis female.
Do you know that term?
- No.
- I am okay by being called she/her,
but on most days, or some days,
I express, you know, through my style,
through my clothing what society would say
more is boy-like.
- I have a question.
So if you could like,
have a gender, like name your own gender,
in between boy or a girl,
what would that name be?
- Wow, you know, no one's ever
really asked me that question.
I think I would maybe go with ma'amsir,
because it's a combination of ma'am and sir.
- Oh, I get it!
- When did you realize you were gender nonconforming?
- I feel like my identity is an ever-evolving thing.
I think I really was more comfortable
and accepting of who I was
not until I was like, in my 20s.
Did you always know you were a boy?
- Yeah. - Yeah.
- Sometimes, I thought about what if I were a girl?
- I know, it's kinda weird.
It's like, whoo.
- Did you always know that you were a girl?
- Yeah, I mean, like, yeah.
I don't know, I just kind of was raised a girl.
- What is it like being raised as a girl?
- Well, I mean, you play more dolls,
but boys, it'd be like balls and--
- My theory as to, well, if a parent offers the option
with no bias, hey, you can play with this doll,
or you can play with this ball,
and the boy chooses the ball,
my theory is because early humans, like the men,
as far as I'm concerned, hunted,
and so it's sort of genetically,
men prefer things that moved around.
I don't know, that's completely a theory
in terms of.
- I mean, is there a reason why the men
were the ones hunting?
- Probably because they were stronger.
- And I think that's where I'm kind like, ugh, really?
Like I'm strong.
Why can't I be a hunter, too?
- Well, yeah, but in terms of muscle mass,
men have, and I mean,
they probably weren't thinking about that.
- Mm-hmm.
I think, even back then, humans held gender stereotypes
to what men and women should be doing.
- Do you think, now, there are more people
who are gender nonbinary?
- I think now, people are feeling more comfortable
and safe to say that they are gender nonconforming,
or nonbinary, but I also truly believe
that even since way back, way back when,
when our ancestors were alive,
that there were also gender nonconforming,
nonbinary people.
Do you all think gender's a big deal?
- No.
Well, it's not a big deal,
meaning if someone was identified as neither boy nor girl,
it's not a big deal to me if they were in between,
but gender is a big part of who you are, right?
And I guess it is a gender, sort of,
if you're gender nonconforming.
I know that sounds kind of, yeah, you know?
So like, yeah.
- Well, that's real, yeah.
- Thank you for giving your time to talk to us.
- Oh, you're welcome.
It was a pleasure speaking to you.