Fashion from the lesbian closet

MALMO Even as a six-year-old, I knew instinctively when I stepped outside the boundaries of what was considered "acceptable." Countless times, adults would comment on how "boyish" or "girly" I was, as if gender were a rigid mold you step into once and for all. We seem to have forgotten that life is a constant process of becoming. Clothing is one of my primary ways of expressing myself, a language I speak without words.

The guilt of not conforming to societies expectations for women is deeply ingrained within me, a legacy of patriarchy. Though I no longer take it personally, I still grapple with the constant pressure to fit in. I remind myself that I was born free, as we all were. We are entitled to dress as we choose.

Clothing, to me, is a powerful form of poetry. It allows us to say anything we want. It's an international language brimming with freedom, protest, sexuality, fantasy, emotion, and joy. The symbolism of clothing in the lesbian context is particularly fascinating. I love the stories that our clothes tell.

For a long time, lesbians have embraced a gender-fluid approach to clothing. When women were denied the right to vote or participate in public life, lesbians often wore suits as a powerful statement of their existence. Today, lesbians dress in myriad ways, and I'm excited to explore the evolution of lesbian/queer fashion in a series I'm currently developing.