Trans fashion

[Ayla]

The fashion industry has recently witnessed a number of developments in the representation and discussion of trans issues. What is the experience, however, of fashion for trans people off the catwalk? Here are a number of insights into the everyday realities of trans fashion  

‘Trans people – especially trans women – face a lot of stereotypes when it comes to clothing and presentation. How many films or TV shows have you seen with a trans woman character, and how many of those showed a shot of her putting on lipstick, a dress, a wig, tights, heels? Scenes like these tend to reinforce a deadly myth; that trans people’s genders are effectively costumes, and that without these costumes, we can’t possibly be (and, therefore, be seen and treated with respect as) the genders we really are.

“For a non-binary person – someone who is neither male nor female – you’d think that these binary stereotypes would be there to be broken. However, non-binary people tend to come across a whole new set of hurdles when it comes to fashion. Pre-existing expectations of what it means to be ‘androgynous’ tend to centre white, skinny, physically abled, AFAB (assigned-female-at-birth) bodies, to the detriment of all other expressions of androgyny. ‘Gender-neutral’ clothes adhere almost exclusively to a masculine default. In addition, there comes the assumption that non-binary people will even want to dress ‘androgynously’, and that if we don’t, we are failing at breaking down gender stereotypes – a job that none of us, in simply being who we are, ever signed up for in the first place.
“Hopefully, the following handful of trans students’ experiences with fashion and gender will debunk some of the assumptions made about trans people, as well as representing some of the intersections – with class, and with sizeism, to name just two – that typical binary trans narratives often fail to take into account.” - Em Travis   

www.varsity.co.uk/fashion/8969    

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" . . . there comes the assumption that non-binary people will even want to dress ‘androgynously’, and that if we don’t, we are failing at breaking down gender stereotypes – a job that none of us, in simply being who we are, ever signed up for in the first place."

I find things I can relate to in these testimonies--the above, e.g.  I get a bit annoyed with the notion that because I'm trans I have a duty to help break down gender stereotypes.  I didn't sign up for that.  What I signed up for was being me and being happy.  And secondly, just about everybody I know is pretty "gender stereotyped."  The men look and behave like men and the women look and behave like women.  But they're good people who've been very good to me.  Is it my business what they choose to look like or how they choose to behave?  Being gender stereotyped doesn't make somebody a bad person.

What I want is for people to be good people.  The rest of it is a mere detail.  And one thing that we might note about good people: they may largely follow gender stereotypes themselves, but they're not obsessed with them.  They do what comes natural to them.  But if somebody else doesn't fit a stereotype, they don't get hung up on it.  They allow that person the freedom to do what they want.  It is precisely this that makes them good people.  So let them do what they want, because what they want isn't in any way bad.

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Metrosexual androgyny is not what I am after.

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Oct 19, 2015 13:41:43 GMT 8 @foxglove said:

" . . . there comes the assumption that non-binary people will even want to dress ‘androgynously’, and that if we don’t, we are failing at breaking down gender stereotypes – a job that none of us, in simply being who we are, ever signed up for in the first place."

I find things I can relate to in these testimonies--the above, e.g.  I get a bit annoyed with the notion that because I'm trans I have a duty to help break down gender stereotypes.  I didn't sign up for that.  What I signed up for was being me and being happy.  And secondly, just about everybody I know is pretty "gender stereotyped."  The men look and behave like men and the women look and behave like women.  But they're good people who've been very good to me.  Is it my business what they choose to look like or how they choose to behave?  Being gender stereotyped doesn't make somebody a bad person.

What I want is for people to be good people.  The rest of it is a mere detail.  And one thing that we might note about good people: they may largely follow gender stereotypes themselves, but they're not obsessed with them.  They do what comes natural to them.  But if somebody else doesn't fit a stereotype, they don't get hung up on it.  They allow that person the freedom to do what they want.  It is precisely this that makes them good people.  So let them do what they want, because what they want isn't in any way bad.

That is pure freakin' wisdom Foxglove. I can't blame a male for wanting to be a man and can't blame a female for wanting to be a woman. Just like us they have that drive to want to be who they choose to be. Some are good and some are bad. We have those in our own little LGBT community even that think their way is the only way. My way isn't the only way and yours isn't the only way and Aisla's isn't the only way, you get the picture. We are all different.

There are good and bad people cis, L, G, B and T's. The thing is that no matter what we should never judge how someone wants to live their own life.

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Oct 21, 2015 2:05:45 GMT 8 @jamie said:

Oct 19, 2015 13:41:43 GMT 8 @foxglove said:

" . . . there comes the assumption that non-binary people will even want to dress ‘androgynously’, and that if we don’t, we are failing at breaking down gender stereotypes – a job that none of us, in simply being who we are, ever signed up for in the first place."

I find things I can relate to in these testimonies--the above, e.g.  I get a bit annoyed with the notion that because I'm trans I have a duty to help break down gender stereotypes.  I didn't sign up for that.  . . .

That is pure freakin' wisdom Foxglove.

Gosh, thanks, Jamie.

Oct 21, 2015 2:05:45 GMT 8 @jamie said:

I can't blame a male for wanting to be a man and can't blame a female for wanting to be a woman. Just like us they have that drive to want to be who they choose to be.

Yeah, and I think a lot of LGBT people forget this point. Cishet people are cishet people, and just like us have the right to be what they are. You will hear people quite often complaining that we're trying to change them--and to be honest, I myself believe that sometimes, with the things we say, we give them good reason to think so. We don't always make it clear that "I should have the right to be what I am, but I am in no way challenging your right to be you. The change we want to see in this world is your acknowledging our right to be us. This in no way implies that you have to be like us."

Oct 21, 2015 2:05:45 GMT 8 @jamie said:

There are good and bad people cis, L, G, B and T's. The thing is that no matter what we should never judge how someone wants to live their own life.

Exactly.

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You're welcome Foxglove.

I do think it is great that we are out and about but everyone should have the right to be who they want to be. LGBT or Cis. I can't blame a cis person for being cisgendered anymore than a transgendered person for being transgendered. We are who we are. We have Caitlyn out there. We have Laverne Cox out there. We have the young MTF and FTM lovers out there and people will eventually relate. We saw what happened with the show What Would You Do? when the MTF waitress was given a hard time. there are a lot of good people out there no matter LGBT and Cis. There are a lot of bad people out there too, LGBT and Cis. I think the thing everyone needs to realize especially in the US with our Constitution is that the pursuit of happiness spans many different spectrums. That we are all entitled to life and liberty and the liberty to live our lives the way we want and see fit in our own pursuit of our own happiness. No matter what that may be.