Antigen
(fragment)
by Dani Prisacariu

(Dani sits on a chair in the middle of a darkened room, with a light focused on themselves.)

Voice (curious)
Hey, what are you – a girl or a boy?

(pause)

Dani
I don’t even know what to answer. After 5 days at an international LGBTQIA+ conference where we intensively planned the queer destabilization of the hetero-cis-normativity, I find myself put under the magnifying glass of a 7-year-old.

They sit in the chair across from me and vacillates between inspecting me and reporting their observations to their mother.

I wanted to tell them that it’s not that simple and that the gender binary is, after all, a tool of patriarchy designed to oppress us all. Or simply that I don’t identify as either a girl or a boy. (beat) I choose to say nothing.

(pause)

Voices
“It’s a boy!”

“Short hair.”
(Dani runs their hand through their hair)

“Sneakers like my dad’s.”
(Dani takes off their sneakers and meticulously places them on the floor)

“Shirt.”
(Dani opens their shirt, takes it off, folds it, and puts it on the floor next to their sneakers.)

“Hairy legs.”

(pause)

Dani
Their mom sticks to the “It’s a girl!” side.

Voice
“Fine skin.”
(Dani explores the skin on their face and arms with their fingertips)

“Breasts.”
(Dani touches their chest)

“Soft voice. Smile.”
(Dani smiles in discomfort)

“Nail polish. Face full of glitter.”
(Dani wipes their face with a makeup remover pad)

Dani
Reality check, Dani! Deal with it!

(…)