ALOK V. Menon on Redefining Gender, Power & Self-Worth | Reset the Algorithm with Moj Mahdara

We’re back.
Season 2 of Reset the Algorithm opens with a bold and unflinching conversation between Moj Mahdara and ALOK Vaid-Menon—a globally recognized writer, performer, and cultural theorist pushing the edges of identity, grief, and liberation.

This isn’t just an episode. It’s a call to disrupt the algorithm inside all of us.

Together, Moj and ALOK challenge binaries—gender, power, politics—and offer a new way of seeing the world. They talk about the emotional toll of performance, the myth of neutrality, and why compassion might be the most strategic act of our time.

You’ll hear:
Why trans liberation benefits everyone
How colonialism and binary thinking go hand in hand
What it means to create culture instead of conform to it
The role of joy in resistance—and the grief that comes with it

This is a powerful return, and we’re starting as we mean to go on: unfiltered, unapologetic, and ready to rewire how we think about power, identity, and presence.

Hit play, share widely, and join us in Season 2 of rewriting the rules. We are Resetting Algorithms all over again!

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TIMESTAMPS
[00:00:00] Alok on self-determination and authenticity
[00:04:08] First meeting and the importance of visibility in non-normative spaces
[00:08:05] Gender euphoria, joy, and self-actualization
[00:16:08] Global perspectives on patriarchy, gender apartheid, and intersectionality
[00:22:28] Toxic masculinity and healing models of gender
[00:28:24] Breaking out of all binaries—beyond just gender
[00:29:42] Compassion, transformation, and the possibility of love as a radical act
[00:36:32] Power, safety, and authenticity for marginalized communities
[00:42:52] The “we/us” pronoun—building solidarity and abolishing loneliness
[00:46:40] Alok’s advice for resetting your own algorithm
[00:48:07] Book and community recommendations

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STAY IN TOUCH

✦ Today’s Guest: Alok Menon ✦
Visit Alok’s Website: https://alokvmenon.com/
Follow Alok on Instagram:   / alokvmenon  

For more episodes and resources: https://www.mojmahdara.com/podcast
Missed season 1? Go catch up—we dropped truths that still hit.

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✦ Connect with Me ✦
Get raw insights, behind-the-scenes moments & exclusive clips on Substack: https://mojmahdara.substack.com/welcome
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Website: https://www.mojmahdara.com/

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