Celebrate Pride all year-round with these inclusive, gender-affirming styles.

Opinion - Guest Article | By Evelyn Ashworth

At the end of Pride Month, there’s a worldwide phenomenon of lowering the Pride Flag in favour of a new cause or holiday. Corporate logos are stripped of rainbow backgrounds and the world “goes back to normal”. But the queer community doesn’t stop being queer, nor is it exempt from all of the struggles that are highlighted during Pride Month.

One of the leaps made in the last few months was the increased awareness towards gender diversity with the release of the documentary Disclosure, prominent celebrities sharing their gender identities (Demi Lovato, Elliot Page) and attacks on trans people (women, in particular).

There’s a lot of work we can do to embrace gender diverse people, including the use of gender-neutral language, respecting individuals’ pronouns, and generally making an effort to remove gender binarism from the way we think about love, family, or life.

In the fashion world, brands have an opportunity and obligation to be gender-affirming for everyone, not just cis-people.

Why is it important for brands to be gender-affirming?

A common narrative for trans and gender diverse people is shopping and not feeling welcome in their changeroom of choice, or not finding one that speaks to their identity. When a salesperson uses gendered language (think handsome versus pretty) to celebrate how you look, it rubs salt in the wound.

Brands should implement gender affirmation into their practices, from stores and changerooms to websites and designs. This means having places and products, both online and offline, for people who don’t identify with the gender binary. Some thought leaders are questioning whether we need gender-based products at all.

Being gender-affirming means creating an inclusive and validating environment for everyone. Doing so is important to the gender-diverse community and its allies — a group that is growing all the time. Younger generations are seeing far more gender-diverse representation in real life and media, making them more likely to reject brands that don’t stand for inclusivity.

How can brands improve their gender affirmation?

Brands can (and should) remove gender binarism from the shopping experience as mentioned above. This means creating genderless changerooms or offering an option that isn’t “women’s” or “men’s”. Similarly, e-commerce brands need to consider how they can articulate that a product is designed for a male or female body without imposing gender onto it, acknowledging the difference between gender and sex.

Next, it’s about time that all fashion brands started using diverse models in size, gender identity, race — seriously, how are we still going over this? A study conducted by modelling agent Ben Barry supports the idea that diversity is key: Barry’s study found that female consumers wanted to buy products when their characteristics were reflected by the model.

When it comes to gender diversity, intersectionality speaks to more people than you think. If we observe a plus-size, Black, trans woman modelling a dress, it will speak to members of each of those communities. It celebrates that one person can be all of those things — and that their experience is different from someone who shares ⅔ of those characteristics.

Gender Inclusive Brands to Check Out

Now that we understand the importance of intersectional representation and gender-affirming practices in the fashion industry, let’s dive into 6 brands that are getting it right.

beneath02021-02-01-ss21-ecomm-product-on-body-breathe-classic-boxer-brief-chilis-M111026-555_1440x1440.jpg — BN3TH Apparel

BN3TH is a Vancouver-based apparel brand that specializes in unisex performance underwear. Its three-way stretch ensures maximum comfort but doesn’t create a gap for non-binary and trans men (unless using a packer). While its products are geared towards men, BN3TH offers unisex garments, like lounge pants, that are super comfortable and wearable by anyone. The brand’s classic boxer briefs come in a variety of designs and patterns, so you’re sure to find something you’ll like.
BN3TH is aiming for complete carbon neutrality. Every product made with Tencel (a compostable material derived from trees) is neutralized through carbon offsetting. BN3TH also invests in renewable energy, forest conservation, and clean water projects.

Origami Customs

Origami Customs is a Montreal-based apparel company that offers gender-affirming items like binders and gaffs, as well as lingerie! Its panel binder offers a unique option with spaghetti straps that can be worn with a tank top, instead of the typical thick sports bra-like straps.
Products are handmade by a small team in Montreal and made according to the brand’s size guide or customized to order. Origami’s pieces are very high quality, and the brand maintains communication with customers to ensure that they are happy with the final product.
Origami does a lot of community work, including donating 200 pieces monthly to gender-diverse people in need. The brand also donates $500 in monthly tips and 1% of annual profit to charities that resonate with its values.

Big Bud Press

L.A.-based Big Bud Press has a great lineup of unisex garments. Its designs are classic while the colours are super fun! The brand’s sage green trousers with an elastic waistband look like such a fun pop of colour that would go well with any neutral top, and its paint-stamped hoodie and sweat short sets are also incredibly cute.
A lot of Big Bud Press’s clothes look like you could find them at Aritzia or Urban Outfitters, but are far more eco-friendly and ethical. 98% of its fabrics are made in the USA, and the team visits its factories daily to ensure the best quality for customers and the best work environment for garment workers. Big Bud Press does not work with factories that use piecework pay, and is very transparent about the sourcing and fabrication of its products.

TomboyX

TomboyX has the CUTEST line of underwear I’ve seen so far. It offers bras and unisex underwear in a variety of designs. It’s really a choose-your-own-adventure in terms of how masculine or feminine you want to be. The brand’s Rainbow Blooms print is giving me 70s fever dreams and I love it.
The brand also offers period underwear, apparel, bra inserts, and compression gear. Of the lineup, I’d be reaching for TomboyX first for really cute and affirming underwear.

Revol Undies

Revol Undies was started by a fashion school graduate who wanted to create a gender-affirming experience for menstruators through period-proof underwear and lingerie. Vancouver-based Sara Jonsdottir has created a line of apparel that is period-proof without sacrificing fashion.
Revol Undies come in size XS-5XL and can be customized according to your flow. Ever committed to sustainability, Revol Undies has a “Bruised Peach” section on its website which sells any goods that didn’t pass final quality checks, like ripples in the fabric (nothing that could affect fit or functionality).
Revol Undies highlights diversity in its models and maintains the importance of celebrating real bodies, with unisex products that flatter any body type.

Rodeoh

Rodeoh is a women-operated brand based in San Francisco that was inspired to innovate on the belt buckles and strap harness model. Its ring-based harnesses were designed for comfort and functionality, the brand has since expanded its line and integrated customer feedback into its designs.
In addition to harnesses, Rodeoh offers a line of unisex underwear in a variety of styles, along with a ton of packers and STPs. Whatever you’re hoping to find, Rodeoh has it!
Rodeoh’s sizes range from XXS-4X, and it has a plus-size line of harnesses in panty/brief styles. It offers discreet shipping, so you don’t have to worry about someone asking you questions about your package.

Pride is year-round, queen

While North America’s Pride Month is over and the U.K.’s is coming up this September, the point is that the queer community exists in every month and deserves continuous representation, support and advocacy from fashion to healthcare and politics. You can support queer people by educating yourself on the systemic disadvantages they face and raising awareness for queer organizations. When you need some new clothes, consider shopping at brands like these — ones that are run by and/or uplift queer people.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Evelyn Ashworth is a student at the University of British Columbia passionate about finding social enterprise practices to reduce, reuse and recycle, especially in the fashion industry. Evelyn hopes to write about her own practices to live and shop sustainably and ethically, and inspire others to do the same.

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