Fashion has been used throughout history as a way to express individual identities, including those related to gender, sexuality, and personal style.
It has also served as a powerful tool for queer individuals to resist societal norms, assert their identities, and demand visibility. This essay will explore some of the ways that fashion has been utilized for these purposes, highlighting notable examples from different periods of time and cultures.
One early example is the use of cross-dressing by Renaissance women who wished to gain access to male-dominated professions such as academia or politics. Cross-dressing allowed them to blend in with men and participate more fully in public life without being immediately recognized as female. In addition to professional advancement, this practice was seen as a form of political resistance against patriarchal structures that limited women's roles.
During the 19th century, the dandy movement emerged among men in England who sought to challenge traditional masculinity through their clothing choices. Dandies dressed in extravagant, colorful outfits that were considered feminine at the time. They rejected conventional ideas about manliness and instead embraced theatricality and excess. The dandy movement was part of a larger effort to push back against Victorian morality and promote individualism and self-expression.
In the 20th century, drag culture became a significant force in the LGBTQ+ community, particularly in New York City during the Harlem Renaissance. Drag performers used exaggerated makeup, costumes, and hairstyles to create characters that challenged gender norms and sexual stereotypes. Their performances often featured risqué humor and political commentary on issues like racism, sexism, and homophobia. Drag queens and kings played an important role in providing visibility for queer people and helping to create safe spaces where they could express themselves freely.
More recently, fashion has been used to protest policies and laws that target marginalized communities.
In 2017, designers created "pussy hats" - pink knit caps with cat ears - as a way to show solidarity with the Women's March against Donald Trump's presidency. The hats became a symbol of resistance and a powerful message of support for women's rights. In the same year, the MeToo movement inspired numerous designers to use their collections to draw attention to sexual assault and harassment. One notable example is designer Christian Siriano, who sent models down the runway wearing white dresses with the words "We Are Survivors" written across them.
Fashion can also be used to challenge beauty standards and promote body positivity. Designers such as Ashley Nell Tipton have created clothing lines for plus-size individuals, redefining what is considered beautiful and desirable in fashion. Other designers have highlighted the diversity of human bodies by featuring models of all shapes, sizes, and colors in their advertising campaigns. This pushes back against the narrow definition of beauty that has dominated mainstream media for so long.
Fashion has always been a powerful tool for marginalized groups to assert their identities and demand visibility. It allows them to express themselves creatively while challenging societal norms and resisting oppression. As more people embrace diverse forms of expression and self-expression, it will continue to play an important role in queer political resistance and identity assertion.
In what ways has fashion historically acted as a medium for queer political resistance, identity assertion, and visibility?
Fashion has long been used by members of marginalized communities to assert their identities and challenge dominant narratives about gender, sexuality, and societal expectations. From drag performances to DIY fashion movements, queer people have utilized clothing and self-presentation as tools for liberation and empowerment.