"Why Would You Limit Yourself?"
20 year old non-binary south asian lifestyle influencer and model, Robin Thomas, asks when talking about their gender expression.
“I recently had my sister ask me during Thanksgiving break—why are you non-binary? She doesn’t really get it. And I had to explain it to her: it’s not just clothes, it’s not just how you carry yourself, it’s how you see yourself as an individual. I feel like gender is just not binary, period.”
Robin Thomas is an icon on all fronts— a TikTok celebrity modeling for major brands like Yitty by Lizzo and Loreal Paris, currently pursuing pre-dental at the University of Central Florida. When we sat down for this interview, I couldn’t help but recognize I was in the presence of greatness.
“I grew up in a religious household. My parents are Malayali and we’re from southern Kerala.”
Here is where we bonded over our Malayali-ness. It’s rare to see Malayali creatives in this space, making Robin the first person I knew that was from my culture.
“My family attended a Mar Thoma church. As a kid, I kept being like, no, I’m not gay. God will fix me. Pray enough, it’ll workout. It was really like disheartening because at that age, I equated how my identity was to how much my family will love me.”
South Asian queer people often go through a lot of judgement from the community they used to seek refuge in, Robin explains.
“I know a lot of [queer] Indian people out there getting disowned from their families. I get a lot of comments on my TikTok asking me, ‘How did your parents react? Are you on your own? Do you support yourself financially?’ And it’s disheartening to hear, but these are real questions. A lot of the time, when you come out as gay or non-binary, you’re just immediately seen as trash.”
I asked Robin about those childhood moments they found refuge in while grappling with their sexuality:
“It was the first time I ever wore a skirt. And it was freshman year of college, and they were showing the Rocky Horror Film in Memory Mall. My friends encouraged me because they knew that it would be something that I enjoy. I enjoy playing with my feminine side. It’s something that makes me feel really confident and beautiful. It makes me feel powerful because growing up I didn’t have that power. Back then, I had to hide in these masculine clothes.”-
PS.
Note from Robin
While others might make you think that your queerness is a weakness, know that your individuality and commitment to being your true self will be your greatest strength.
Full article and exclusive interview available in Issue One.
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