dapperQ’s He Said/We Said has been on the road, documenting queer style in Philadelphia andCincinnati. We’ll be back in Cincy shortly, but in the meantime we have returned home to catch up with some of New York City’s finest dappers.

Photographer Maria Del Naja, along with Anita Dolce Vita, selected the Hardy Amies spring 2015 menswear collection as inspiration. Here’s what Maria had to say about the inspiration and overall experience:

I can’t tell you how excited I was to have the opportunity to participate in this month’s edition of DapperQ’s He Said/We Said series! I gravitated toward the Hardy Amies spring 2015 fashion line because I loved the natural colors and the blend of patterns. I also felt that the line had a wide enough range of looks to allow that queer sense of individuality to shine through in whatever interpretations our models put together.

It was such an honor to work with all the models (especially N. Johnson who saved the day at the last minute)! Since many of the models are good friends of mine, I knew their personalities were all quite different, and I was certain their interpretations would be eclectic, unique, and highlight their different styles. None of them disappointed! Several people mentioned that this clothing line was a step outside the box from their everyday wear, and I couldn’t have been more pleased with the inventive ways they chose to interpret the look of the collection.
Personally, I appreciated the opportunity to contribute to a series that I follow, regularly, online. I’ve read many incredible, beautifully photographed installments of He Said/We Said since the series began, and a handful of the past photographers have been particular inspirations to me throughout my continuing learning process. It will be quite a thrill to be included in the dapperQ archives along with other photographers I’ve long admired.
I’d like to particularly thank two models, Jess and Andrea, who flew from California and Colorado, respectively, to participate!

The full editorial, including model bios and outfit descriptions, can be found here on our publishing partner, Autostraddle. But, dapperQ is honored to present additional images from the amazingly stylish queers:

INSPIRATION

INTERPRETATIONS

Devynn Emory

N. Johnson

Andrea Gibson

Jess Voss

Credits:

Maria Del Naja – Photographer

The post He Said/We Said: Spring 2015 appeared first on dapperQ.

Masculinity, androgyny, femininity: all constructs that vary across cultures and across time. The reproduction of Western masculinity in queer style is liberating for some, but stifling for others. More and more, we are seeing designers redefine masculine and androgynous style for those who do not fit neatly into binary boxes. One such designer is Paulina Wonders, a Montreal visionary who is the founder of the clothing brand Atelier Wonder. F.Y. states that Atelier Wonder’s pieces “range from digitally printed coats to airy silk organza pieces with graphic rhinestone appliqué. The collection is unisex and promotes concepts of gender bending.”

DYDH Productions, in collaboration with photographer Gabryela Vogua, shot an editorial featuring some of Atlier Wonder’s latest designs exclusively for our readers. This is the fourth and final in a series of DYDH/Vogua editorials for dapperQ.

The post Atelier Wonder: Streetwear with Power Clashing Flare appeared first on dapperQ.

I am proud to announce that, as of February 16, 2015, I have formerly transferred ownership of dapperQ to Anita Dolce Vita, dapperQ’s Editor-in-Chief, for the sum of one U.S. dollar. This transition recognizes and honors the tremendous leadership and vision Anita has shown over the past four years. It also responds to a cultural moment in which those of us “transgressing men’s fashion” are increasingly being seen as pioneers of a new gender landscape.

I launched dapperQ in January 2009 to creatively address the schism I saw, as exemplified by struggles still bedeviling the Michigan Women’s Music Festival, between older butches like myself and those who identified as trans. Instead of working in support of one another, we lived on two sides of a transgenderational divide that did none of us any good. In that context it occurred to me that fashion could serve as a neutral convening ground. When I coined the term dapperQ, I did so to promote a commonality across the spectrum of queer masculine gender. Little did I know, as my friend Robin Cloud recently told me, that the term dapperQ would come to serve for some as a stand-in for gender identity.

In 2009, there were no brands serving our market. And while there have always been butches who wear ties, the intentionality of dapperQ style which began to emerge at that time in urban centers like Brooklyn was brand new.

When Anita began volunteering in 2010 she came as a femme-identified fashionista with a deep political consciousness. While polished images of dapperQ’s are being widely circulated now through sites like Instagram, prior to Anita’s tenure, that was not the case. Almost immediately, she began producing her He Said/We Said series which enlisted professional photographers to bring to life images so many of us had only dreamed of. Under Anita’s leadership, that series and other efforts including dapperQ’s Most Stylish 100, have resulted in unparalleled archive of what has come to feel like a movement.

(Right): Anita Dolce Vita, dapperQ Editor-in-Chief; (Left): Susan Herr, dapperQ Founder.
Photo by Katya Moorman.

Fast forward to December, 2014, when dapperQ produced (Un)Heeled at the Brooklyn Museum. In addition to an interactive Dapper Academy, our fashion show featured six brands and over 35 models who brilliantly personified the term: dapperQ. In that that moment at the end of the show where Anita , Deeba Zivari and I stood in solidarity between queers and #blacklivesmatter, it became clear that my time as owner of dapperQ should end and Anita’s should begin.

(Left): Susan Herr, dapperQ Founder; (Center): Anita Dolce Vita, dapperQ Editor-in-Chief;
(Right): Deeba Zivari. Photo by Suri.

Because this transition signals a time when dapperQ will begin pursuing income in support of its efforts, it serves as an opportunity for Anita and I to share the two stipulations upon which I agreed to this transfer:

No-Profit – Until this time, I have paid all of dapperQ operating expenses. This was limited to site development and maintenance because, with the exception of webmasters, all labor has been provided by volunteers. While dapperQ has never been incorporated as a non-profit entity, it has always been run without profit to any one individual or individuals. But if dapperQ is to achieve the potential for which it appears poised, it will merit investment from members of our community and advertisers eager to reach us. The terms of my contract with Anita stipulate that, if and when dapperQ’s revenue exceeds $10,000, a financial report would be made regarding expenditures and revenues on an annual basis. Moving forward, this will not preclude Anita or members of the dapperQ team from earning a per-diem, monthly or annual salaries from revenues generated by the site. Salaries earned by “employees” of the Property will be included in the annual report.

Representation by dapperQs on Behalf of dapperQ’s – As owner and editor-in- chief of dapperQ, Anita will serve as its primary media spokesperson. But because she herself does not identify as masculine, she has formally committed to creating opportunities, when available and offered by press, to have masculine and androgynous presenting women, gender queers, and trans-identified individuals speak to our lived experience as spokespersons for dapperQ.

I couldn’t be more proud of dapperQ or the momentum for this movement to which it has contributed. I thank you for the tremendous generosity of spirit, shown over the years from around the world, with which you greeted my baby. The future is, indeed, looking bright.

In faith and solidarity,

Susan Herr dapperQ Founder

The post dapperQ Changing Ownership appeared first on dapperQ.

dapperQ is back with a brand new Seven Days of Dapper! It is our first Seven Days of Dapper of 2015 and we couldn’t think of a better way of kicking off this year’s series than with some style from LA LA land; It’s cold up here in NYC and we need some dashing dappers to warm us up. So, let’s get this queer style party started with Alana, a Los Angelas native with incredible swag:

Bio:
I’m Alana and I am just a Los Angeles native currently taking steps to just be comfortable being me. That may mean trying new styles and ways to express myself, but also finally buckling down to advance in school.

When it comes to my personal style, I don’t have a go to outfit for a specific event or occasion. I like to start with an accessory or article of clothing that just feels right and makes me a bit more confident, then go from there. I love to change my style up and mixing up even more so you can see traces of one style while I’m pulling off another. Expressing myself through style is probably the most rewarding for me when showing others a glimmer of my interests, creativity, or just what’s going on in my head.

Day 1

It’s the basic clean cut look. I could wear this on a date, to a lounge, to an interview, wedding, etc. It doesn’t feel too dressed up, not under dressed, though some might want a tie. If I was [to wear one] it’d be a necktie, as I’m not a huge fan of wearing bow ties.

Details: Blazer – Asos, Shirt – Vintage Ralph Lauren, Pants – H&M, Shoes – TUK Creepers

Day 2 

I’d say for this look it could just be everyday wear, but a few small touches with the suspenders and great shoes shows a little more effort. Without them, it’s just something that wouldn’t get a second thought to run errands in, but with them I feel like I’m less likely to run into someone with the same shirt wearing it in the same style and can meet with friends without changing clothes.
Details: Shirt – H&M, Pants – H&M, Suspenders – H&M, Shoes – Unif

Day 3 

Sherpa Jacket with black: Don’t I look warm and cozy? Most likely to wear this on a date on a cold night. It’s simple, the colors go well. I love it.
Details: Jacket – Forever21, Pants – Express, Sweater – Grayson and Dunne

Day 4 

I like this look, because while it’s casual, it’s something that stands out while being really simple. Something I’d wear to a daytime outing like brunch or a date or just anywhere I can be proud to be sporting white pants that are still white.

Details: Pants – H&M, Sweater – H&M, Boots – Asos

Day 5

Honestly, I’m more a fan of adding a pop of color than going full color. But, this is me when I’m living on the edge, but really this is something I’d probably wear to the park for a picnic to not feel too out of touch with my surroundings.

Details: Shirt – Asos, Pants – Hollister, Suspenders – H&M

Day 6

Leather Jacket with sneakers: An all black look that I love; I think it shows the edge that I have while hinting at different styles in my closet. The feminine shirt switched instead of men’s button down hints that I may pull tomboy femme looks every once in a while. I think finding the right jewelry can set a look off though.

Details: Shirt – American Apparel, Pants – H&M, Jacket – Front Row Shop, Shoes – Jeffrey Cambell

Day 7

I just like slim fit polos because they hug your arms and make them look great whatever the size. After that I could play with small touches like the navy jacket or a red one to match the collar without being too matchy. It’s just a smart look that shows of my arms if I want without being too sporty.

Details: Shirt – H&M, Pants – H&M, Jacket – American Apparel, Shoes – TUK Creepers

The post Seven Days of Dapper: Alana appeared first on dapperQ.

dapperQ has showcased brands that are designing masculine attire specifically for masculine presenting women, gender-queers, and trans-identified individuals in our runway shows, store guides, and interviews. But, in recent years, we’ve seen a growing number of mainstream designers and stores add gender-neutral clothing options in response to society’s changing views about gender identity and gender expression. Selfridges, London’s iconic department store, is set to stock three floors of “unisex” clothing and do away with their separate “men’s” and “women’s” departments. On the heels of this, more mainstream designers are adding gender-neutral pieces to their Fall 2015 collections. At Milan’s men’s fashion week, Vivienne Westwood featured female-identified model Elliot Sailors in the menswear runway lineup. Sailors demonstrated the versatility of some of the pieces, which can be styled feminine, masculine, and anything in between or outside of:

via Style.com

During New York Fashion Week, Public School also debut some gender-neutral pieces in their Fall 2015 collection. According to Style.com, Public School “didn’t want to create a girlfriend for the Public School boy. The two are more likely to share clothes than to share a bed.”

via Style.com

Telfar Clemens featured male and female models in deconstructed cashmere mini-dresses with matching leg-warmers at their New York Fashion Week show. The collection also included some gender-neutral pant ensembles.

via Style.com

It’s a small step in the right direction. But, there’s still much more to go, especially with respect to including more diversity of age and size. Looking forward to what’s in store at upcoming fashion weeks across the globe.

The post Mainstream Designers Add Gender-Neutral Pieces to Fall 2015 Collections appeared first on dapperQ.

Life of a queer fashion blogger often entails scouring the internet, hour after hour, searching for style that represents those who dress outside the binary. So, there I was on a Saturday morning, pursing Tumblr while I stayed inside avoiding the sub-degree temps and snow currently plaguing the East Coast, when BAM…this:

These awesome tees are by GenderFlux, a team of creatives who are not only selling t-shirts, but also raising awareness about gender identity and gender expression via their #GenderFlux campaign. Here’s more from their website:

The #GENDERFLUX campaign is to create awareness for the Gender Variant, Non-Binary & Gender Queer community.

Currently we are in PT.2 of a three part campaign that will lead up to the launch of a full scale clothing company. Not just your average clothing company, but one that will change the industry entirely.

For Pt.1 of the campaign we launched a single t-shirt designs featuring the gender variant symbol. We started with a pre-order period that lasted 10 days, and in those 10 days over 300 t-shirts were sold around the world. No advertising was in place and all promotions came by word of mouth & social media. All in all, a huge success.

On January 12th, 2015, we launched Pt.2 of the campaign with a total of 5 new designs available in black or white. Throughout the year we are planning to launch several more pieces to the Pt.2 collection, while also hosting parties & performances around the world to boost awareness of the brand and bring the gender queer communities together! Stay tuned for more!

Pt.3 – To be announced.

dapperQ will certainly be keeping an eye out on this campaign and eagerly await new products. Until then, snag one of your very own GenderFlux t-shirts, follow them on Facebook and Twitter, and show us your GenderFlux by posting up on Instagram and/or Twitter using #GenderFlux.

The post GenderFlux Tees appeared first on dapperQ.

Ever have that problem where you just can’t find the right dapper shoes in your size to finish off that perfect outfit? Well, NiK Kacy brings an end to that fashion heartache. Inspired by the needs of the queer and trans community, NiK Kacy recently launched their Kickstarter campaign to fund the creation of the first gender-equal footwear line.

I had the pleasure of meeting up with NiK Kacy in Los Angeles at a brunch with Sharpe Suiting and Saint Harridan. Everything about NiK Kacy’s style was impeccable. Kacy’s passion for the dapper really shows with every detailed decision made and placed in this stunning collection of shoes.

I got to hold the line in my hands, they felt so nice and light. Something you could wear in any weather. The best part of the shoes were that they have this tiny little red stitch holding the leather to the sole. I almost melted.

With the Kickstarter campaign up and running, I asked NiK Kacy some questions about what inspires his designs, how we can support this amazing brand, and what we can expect to see from NiK Kacy in the coming months.

Nik Kacy: NiK Kacy Footwear was inspired by and founded upon the fashion needs of the queer and trans community. As someone is who gender-fluid/third sex, I was always put off by the footwear industry’s very archaic view of gendered footwear. To me, everyone should be able to wear whatever style they chose, depending on what suites their fashion sense and style, not their gender or sex. Style should not be defined by gender, nor should it be limited by the gender binary. My long-term vision for this company is to develop a gender-neutral line of dress shoes and boots, as well as high heels in sizes ranging from 36-47 so that regardless of your gender identity, you can choose to wear whatever you feel like.

NYC: Can you tell me a bit about the history and evolution of the NiK Kacy footwear? What motivated you to become a designer and start your own brand?

NK: I left my job at Google in late 2013 to pursue trans surgery, to travel throughout Europe solo, and to start a shoe company. After my top surgery and hysto, I pretty much lugged 50 lbs of luggage through 12 European cities with bandages still wrapped on my chest and incisions still healing. I was very blessed that prior to leaving, I had the community of my chosen family taking care of me and helping me heal enough before I went on my travels.

I wanted to start a shoe company and leave my incredibly stable lifestyle as a Producer because it was something I always dreamt of doing as a child. I spent my whole life not finding the right shoes that fit my style. I was tired of being told by the shoe stores or department stores that they didn’t carry my size. I decided it was now or never to start on this journey, and so I just went and did it.

Because I’m not trained as a shoe designer or a product designer, I took a lot of care and focus as a consumer first and foremost. Luckily, my background is in fine arts and design, so I had some sufficient creative juices to help me develop these designs and draw them out. The key thing though was that I didn’t want to reinvent the wheel. Masculine-styled shoes are stunning and dapper the way they already exist. I don’t want my first collection to be something crazy and new. I wanted to wear what I’ve always wanted, but could never get. So, I took very traditional masculine-styled designs and created a gender-neutral proportion last (mold). Then I spiced it up with some colors and contrast and modernized it for what befits queer fashion and style. In short, I made shoes I wanted to wear and now I’m trying to make them accessible to the rest of the community, because I believe all good things are meant to be shared.

NiK Kacy

NYC: How would you describe the NiK Kacy aesthetic?

NK: The person or the shoes? [Winks].  Well, as a masculine of center individual, I like to dress very dapper in suits, ties, suspenders and what not. I [like] color watches and sunglasses… and if I could be a race car driver, I would. When I’m home or at a friend’s BBQ, I like to be in jeans and a t-shirt. The shoes kind of convey that same aesthetic. The styles of the first collection, titled Fortune, consist of five basic styles, ones which every masculine of center individual should own: the classic derby, the wingtip derby, the monk, the desert, and the dress boot. What makes my collection so sexy is that you get a wide range of styles that really fit any occasion. The red stitching in this collection really pops out and adds a layer of sensuality and life as well.

NYC: Has it been a journey defining your own personal style? Tell me about it.

NYC: I’m not sure that I have redefined my style on this journey, but I feel very confident that as I develop more designs each year that I will definitely be able to get creative and start investigating deeper into my personal style for inspiration.

The journey has been more about defining my personal character. Seeing what I’m made of and seeing what my friends are made of. That experience has been invaluable and inspiring. My community of friends have come together to help me make this dream a reality with volunteering to model for me, editing videos, shooting photos, donating studio space, casting for my shoot, composing original music… the list goes on.

I am consistently in awe of my circle of friends and it drives me to work my butt off even harder to make this dream come true, so I can make them all feel proud of what we have accomplished – not only for us, but for the whole queer world.

NYC: Who or what has most influenced your style?

NK: Men’s fashion has always been what influenced my style. Ever since I was a kid I would doodle men’s clothing in class. They were cheesy and not great but they were suits that I would come up with and wished I could wear one day. In the past few years, one of my closest friends, Leon Wu, founded a custom suit company called Sharpe Suiting. He’s been a huge inspiration for me, as I’ve watched him, and his company, grow. Watching him has giving me the same faith to taking the same leap. In fact, even the equal sign on my shoes were an ode to our collaboration and friendship as the idea came to me when I was looking at his suits with the double lapels. I love that he has suits with the red stitch double lapel because now my entire collection can match it! [Laughs]

I like to think we will continue to inspire each other as we bravely walk together on this fashion revolution. Leon, Naserin and Vanessa have been a huge help for me as I planned for my Kickstarter campaign and spread the word. Because of their experience at the forefront, I am able to trail closely behind. I can’t wait to see where all this will take us!

Model Lilly Alban wearing Sharpe suit and NiK Kacy black boots at dapperQ’s (un)Heeled fashion show hosted by Brooklyn Museum

NYC: Who are your fashion icons?

NK: Calvin Klein, John Varvatos, Alexander McQueen, Tom Ford, Kenneth Cole  (and I’ll shyly admit that I love pretty much anything Brangelina puts on. They are the most fashionable man and woman, hands down).

NYC: What is the one article of clothing you cannot live without?

NK: A watch (does that count as clothing?) or underwear… I think I might just keel over if I didn’t have underwear. [Winks]

NYC: What can we expect next from you?

NK: If all goes well and my Kickstarter campaign is a big success, then I will be flying to Portugal and working with my agent and factory to begin production on my first collection. If we meet some of our stretch goals, I could be possibly doing any of the following: designing a collection with pointed toe or square toe, adding a vegan leather alternative, and/or developing a high heels collection for those who are feminine of center.

We wish you well, NiK Kacy! Can’t wait to get me a pair or two or four of your line. IF you want to follow Kacy’s progress or just say Hi, you can find them anywhere @nikkacyfootwear (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Google+). Also, join Kacy’s #WalkYourWay and show them your shoes!

The post NiK Kacy: The First Gender-Equal Luxury Footwear Line appeared first on dapperQ.

*Article by Ryley Rubin Pogensky. Feature image by Katya Moorman.

A week ago, I wrote an article for Qwear, a fashion site that often steps outside of clothing and addresses issues in the LGBTQ community. As a black blogger who is also a trans man, I decided to write an article about the growing problem in the transgender community of white trans men taking up every possible inch of space with no accountability for their privilege. I wrote in a what I thought to be a very calm, level headed voice. I was asking for conversation, for dialogue. For white trans folks to take some form of responsibility. It did not take long for those same people to come at me. Well. I have heard your shots. And I am firing back. My name is Ryley Rubin Pogensky, and I am a black queer trans man. I usually call for everyone to check themselves in all spaces, to try and acknowledge and understand where and when their voice matters in conversation. In this post, I will not be doing that. In this post I am, as they say, going in. In the words of Nappy Roots: Let’s Begin.

It’s February. Which means more than half of the country is frozen, everyone is scrambling to figure out how to do their taxes, and for 28 days America is reminded of the fact that this world has produced a hell of a lot of important, brilliant, smart, talented and gifted humans who happen to be Black! It also means that Black people in this country have to sit through 28 days of hearing white people ask why Black History Month needs to exist? Oh I don’t know, maybe because it is currently 2015 and a college chose to honor truly amazing leaders and icons by offering its students fried chicken! Just like the Blacks eat!

via USA Today

But that hat’s not racism. That’s just lunch. Right?

After my post came out, a few days later a familiar face was filling my newsfeed. FTM Magazine had put Aydian Dowling on it’s cover. Aydian is a white, cis passing, trans man. On the cover he recreated a shoot Adam Levine of Marroon 5 had done. The cover quickly went viral. And yet again we all got to see a buff white trans man getting all of the media’s attention. My own inbox quickly became filled with the opinions of trans men, highlighting that what I had written days earlier was literally being played out in real life. Conversation after conversation ensued about how it was time we all did more than talk about this issue. But put our words, our network, and our passion to good use. During all of these conversations, I was shocked to receive a message from FTM Magazine’s owner Jason Robert Ballard, asking me to submit to FTM Magazine. This is where an entirely new shit storm began, both for me mentally, and visually on FTM Magazines Facebook wall.

When you call a spade a spade, isn’t it refreshing to see that spade act exactly as you predicted? Not exactly when that spade is racism. FTM Magazine posted my Qwear article and the comments represented my exact reasons of hesitation for writing for this magazine in the first place. FTM Magazine largely caters to a genre of people I do not write for. Folks who talk about reverse racism being real. You know, those same people who either inwardly or outwardly question why Black History Month needs to exist. I would like to take a moment and directly respond to a few of the comments left underneath my article. And would like for you all to see what happens when a black person calmly tries to address privilege to a room of white people. To be fair, one of the comments comes from a Black person. I will happily address that comment as well.

Comment #1. “This article is hardly journalism but a heavy opinion piece. I appreciate different voices coming out and sharing their experience, this was less a sharing of experience and more an address to white masculine of center transgender folk. The articles title was also misleading.”

You’re right! This is an opinion piece. But correct me if I’m wrong – since when does an opinion piece not count as journalism? I think a sharing experience occurs when one voice speaks out and reaches out to other voices, just because that voice makes you feel uncomfortable doesn’t make the article nor substance of it less than. 

“The deaths in the past year on transwomen have been hard for the community, and for trans women of colour particularly given four or more of those deaths were on women of colour. What needs to be addressed is homophobia and transphobia within the black community.”

NOW you need to sit down, wrap it up, and shut it up. How darling of a white person to tell the Black community that WE need to address the problems WE have with racism and transphobia. The reason so many trans women of color are being murdered is because Black people are transphobic assholes, thank you for clearing that up. 

“Also, white people can be discriminated based on their race depending on where you are from. There is also economic based discrimination, disability based discrimination and age based discrimination.”

Reverse racism. Is not. A thing. REVERSE RACISM IS NOT A THING.  

Moving on…

Comment # 2:

“Really? ‘When I white FTM person speaks, it’s newsworthy. When a black trans* woman is murdered it is a passing headline.’ All I see all over my timeline from individuals and in groups is about trans POC to the point that when someone posted about a 15 y/o white FTM who committed suicide recently, a comment was ‘Yeah, Leleah and Zander are important but what about the transwomen of color who have died!’ That completely negates 2 teens who felt the need to end their lives, who gives a crap what color they are! WE LOST LIVES!”

And a reply to said comment: “Yes, thank you. Aren’t most, if not all, of the celebrities that are mtf people of color as well? Laverne Cox, Jannet Mock, Carmen Carrera…”

Y’all. When I tell you I was shaking when I read this, I was shaking when I read this. I get scared to look at my newsfeed because of the very real fact that once a week this year I have scrolled through to see that yet another QPTOC trans person has been murdered. You know who gives a flying fuck what color those women are? QPTOC youth growing up who not only have to deal with the fact the world they live in is already racist as fuck, but also transphobic. Those youth see that being out and open with their truth comes with the very real possibility that they will be killed for who they are. The fact that our most famous MTF faces are beautiful empowering women is just that: beautiful and empowering. But, when their sisters are being slaughtered on the streets, do you not realize that maybe the reason they are the icons of a community is because they have beat all of the odds? Why, when a few POC people make it, do white people have to insist that they are enough? Hollywood is not an equal opportunity employer. Would you like some cold hard facts about POC transgender people? Maybe these will strike a cord with you, and with commenter number one who doesn’t seem to think I am much of a journalist:

From Injustice At Every Turn – A Report of the National Transgender Discrimnation Survey:

Discrimination was pervasive throughout the entire sample, yet the combination of anti-transgender bias and persistent, structural racism was especially devastating.

-People of color in general fare worse than white participants across the board, with African American transgender respondents faring far worse than all others in most areas examined.

-Black transgender people live in extreme poverty with 34% reporting a household income of less than $10,000/year. This is more than twice the rate for transgender people of all races (15%), four times the general Black population rate (9%), and over eight times the general US population rate (4%).

- Nearly hald (49%) of Black respondents have reported having attempted suicide. 

There’s more, a lot more actually. But those are just some highlights of this staggering report. 

So the next time you wonder why race matters. This is why. 

Comment # 3 (from a black person): “This article didn’t address the topic at all furthermore can the voice of the black transpeople be someone with a black cultural experience and background? Not saying the black gentlemanly experience is less than but I think that not having a black father that is a good black man makes a difference and has make me more aware of myself in a long history of struggle.

I am not sure what topic I did not address. Because all I was writing about was white privilege and accountability. Maybe you thought I was literally talking about us all riding the bus together. In which case yes, I did not address the topic at all. It’s interesting that you think my growing up experience was not “Black enough” because my parents were white. You are correct in thinking my childhood was probably a bit different than that of a lot of my black friends, what with all of those Jewish holidays. As I have gotten older, I have realized certain things that were missing from my childhood as far as race. My father could never understand what it meant to be randomly stopped and frisked due to his skin color. He could sympathize, but,  you are right –  he does not truly know what that feeling feels like. My grandparents have a closer idea, seeing as they were Jews who survived WWII. But still no, they could not possibly grip what it means to be a Black trans man today. It’s interesting to me that you say my “blackness” and my “masculinity” could only be influenced and nourished by having a Black father. Could a black mother not do the same? Can strong Black women not raise strong Black men? Oh and just so you know, I was raised in a house with a Black woman. My mom and my dad got divorced when I was one, my father remarried a Black woman when I was six. I should also mention that my mom’s parents adopted two Black boys back in the 60’s and 70’s. And two of my aunts married Black men. So, there are, and have been, many Black men in my life. 

It is detrimental to our movement to keep stating that the only way a boy can become a man is by having a strong man in his life. It is a direct and deliberate slap in the face to any woman who has raised strong successful men. 

I have heard similar sentiments from quite a few LGBTQ folks about how the Black community is less progressive and understanding of gay people. Former NFL player Wade Davis and writer Darnell L. Moore have started a campaign called #ThisIsLuv which moves to dismantle the myth that homophobia is more present in the Black community. 

As I said earlier, the owner of FTM Magazine reached out to me to be a voice in the publication. Which sounds amazing. Until your read the first line of his message. “Just read your article on qwearfashion. For the first time, I was able to read it without feeling attacked and instead feeling empowered to look at privileges and word choices and such.”

Dear All White People,

It is not my purpose on this Earth to make YOU feel comfortable. The above sentence completely and totally sums up all of my feelings about how white people can NOT wrap their heads around the amount of space and privilege that they naturally have. Because when anyone says anything, instead of sitting and listening and trying to understand how the system has literally been set up to shit all over Black America, they first have to get past having their precious feelings hurt. I AM NOT HERE FOR THAT. Do you know how most Black Americans got here? On slave ships. My birth parents last name was Stewart. Do you know the origins of that name? Well, it means household guardian. And its roots? Scottish. Not sure how much you know about Scottish history, but dark skinned brown folks are not igneous to the Isles. So how did I get that name? A slave master. Every Black person that was brought to this country by way of slavery was stripped of their background and culture, and instead given the name of a master. Yet, you need to feel empowerment coming from my words?

I write for many reasons. But the outstanding reason is because I know that there needs to be more vocal and visible POC voices. POC youth cannot be made to feel like their words or their lives are disposable. POC youth do not need to hear the voices of whiny white people. Not when they’re brothers and sisters are being murdered by systems that were put in place to keep them a silent minority. I do not write to stroke the egos of white people, or make them feel more comfortable about the privilege society has given them from birth. That is not, nor will it ever be, my responsibility. If reading the words of a POC writer who is trying to do nothing but combat racism is too much for your eyes to handle, than by all means continue to talk about reverse racism. Continue to say shit like #alllivesmatter. Continue to live in a blissfully wonderful world where racism doesn’t exist anymore! Because for you it never existed in the first place. Because for you, you have always gotten to eat off the silver spoon of privilege. And before any of you decide to write comments about how you as a: Jewish or Irish or Italian or ____ person knows exactly what racism feels like to you, I say please stop taking up more space. Discrimination is a real thing, and it can happen to anyone; but your words are not welcome in conversations POC and their allies are having about race in America. You are not a person of color. Therefore racism does not apply to you.

I often stay away from voicing my opinions in such an irate way. Society already wants you to think of me as an Angry Black Man. Well I am an Angry Black Man. A non violent citizen of this country who is entirely fed up with and completely over having to think that whenever I say something about race I have to put my arms around a white person and guide them through the dialogue in a way that they do not feel attacked. No thank you. If you can not read a critique and criticism about something millions of black Americans have to deal with daily, without having a temper tantrum, my words are not for you.

My words are for those who are open to embracing different cultures. My words are for those who are trying to implement change in a society that regularly sets POC people up to fail. My words are for those who will stop at nothing to see young POC youth and young POC LGBTQ find success and happiness without having to worry about being killed. My words are for those of us who know there is work to be done. Not for those who think the work has already BEEN done.

*dapperQ’s Community Voices is a platform for and by the community to share stories, opinions, and essays. We embrace diverse points-of-view and welcome you to join the discussion in the comments section below, on Twitter, or by pitching your own pieces for publication via dapperQ@gmail.com

About the author: Ryley Pogensky is a native New Yorker currently residing in the Brooklyn of California – Oakland. Earlier this year Ryley was one of 17 transgender models who posed for Barneys groundbreaking Spring campaign. Ryley can often be found behind the scenes of New Yorks biggest queer parties and in front of the camera for various queer photographers. He is the dapperQ of 2014 and runs the blog Queergrub. Click here for more of Ryley on dapperQ.

The post Community Voices: Not Your Token – The Conversation We All Need to Start Having About Race and Racism in the QTPOC Community appeared first on dapperQ.

*Photos by Tiph Browne

Sometimes finding a talented, affordable barber who not only respects your gender identity and presentation, but also really understands your personal style is as difficult as finding clothing that fits. That’s why we like to showcase great barbers and hair stylists recommended by our readers! dapperQ model Nina Kossoff recently recommended Dez Marshall of Nelson’s Barber Shop. So, we sat down with Dez to talk about queer hair, race, gender, and how Nelson’s is creating a safe space for intersectionality.

dapperQ: Tell our readers a bit about yourself and Nelson’s Barber Shop.

Dez: Nelson’s Barbershop is located in Flatbush at 248 Parkside Ave. The shop has been in the neighborhood for over 25 years. The current owner, Nelson, has worked there since he was 18 when it was under a different name. He took over approximately 20 years ago. The shop is well known among folks in the neighborhood. It’s an institution really. Most guys have been going there their whole life and once they have their own kids, they start bringing them in to get cuts. There’s a client who moved to Virginia some years ago. He still comes to Brooklyn about once a month for a cut. He isn’t an exception, he is the norm. Barber loyalty is important. Once you find the right barber, not even state lines can keep you apart. The joke is, if you had to choose between your barber or your partner, you would choose your barber.

Nelson’s is primarily a space for men of color to come get a dope haircut. We were voted the Best Place In NYC to Get a Fade or Shave by the Village Voice in 2014. We welcome anyone, regardless of gender expression or race, but Flatbush itself is primarily made up of people of color communities. But even before I started working there, Nelson’s Barbershop had a good sized female clientele. Like almost any other barbershop, we talk sports, movies, politics, current events and women. As a queer woman of color, my opinion is usually very different from others in the shop. We disagree a lot, but I appreciate the honesty. A barbershop is one of the few places that (mostly) men gather and have very honest conversations. It’s really cool to be a part of those conversations.

I have been a barber at Nelson’s since April 2014, but have been cutting hair for about 6 years. I was a community organizer after graduating college. I worked at FIERCE, which organizes queer youth of color in the city. I worked a lot of hours. I didnt always have the money for a cut and definitely didn’t have time to go to a barber. I also had a lot of issues with barbers I did try: they would ask why I wanted to look like a boy, if I wanted “the lesbian haircut” (I still have no clue what this means), or they would ask really invasive questions about my sex life. I eventually found a barber who treated me with respect. Unfortunately, he always cut my skin when he gave me a shape-up, so I would have a scab along my hairline. Eventually I bought my own pair of Wahl clippers, and gave myself caesars. I realized my members probably had similar experiences, so I started to offer free haircuts to them in exchange for participation in meetings, actions, workshops, etc. When I left FIERCE and began working with youth of color at FUREE in Brooklyn, I did the same thing. Eventually, I transitioned out of that field. I had talked for a while about wanting to get my license to practice barbering. In January 2014 I went to the American Barber Institute (ABI), received my Apprentice License, and began working at Nelson’s soon after finishing at ABI. In the next coming months I plan to take my practical exam to receive my Master Barber license. I want to learn the business side of owning and operating a barbershop. My end goal is to own my own shop to serve as a safe space for queer folks to get really dope cuts.

I began offering house and office visits shortly after starting at ABI. I created the ugliest looking flyer ever; It was hideous Microsoft Word art [laughs], then created a better one and started posting on Facebook and passing out flyers at clubs and in Union Square. I wasn’t sure when I would find a chair. The barber industry is very much a boys club. I’ve been at Nelson’s for almost a year and still get men who look at me in disbelief that I am indeed a barber. When I first started, some customers would throw insults, saying I wasn’t a real barber, or that they would never trust a woman to cut their hair. I knew I needed to develop my clientele before I ever started to rent a chair. And I knew I wanted to cater to the queer community, because that is my community. I kept thinking about when I was looking for a barber, and the experiences my members shared with me over the years. We should never be placed in a situation where we have to prove our humanity. But that’s how I felt in a barber chair: That I had to prove I was worthy of service because I didn’t match some idea that the barber had of me. I didn’t come to the shop for your amusement or to satisfy your curiosity. I came for a caesar and shape-up. I knew when I decided to pursue this industry that that would be my hallmark: I will give you a dope cut in a safe space without any judgment of your gender expression or gender identity; I would support it. For many people, their safe space is their home. And being welcomed into that space is something I take very seriously. Being connected to movement spaces, I started offering cuts to those who can open their office as well. Being at a shop offers some levels of convenience, but some people can’t make it to the shop, others want to respect it as a primarily men of color space, others really like the convenience of getting a cut in their home. I try to meet the needs of many folks.

Before I started marketing myself as a barber, I did Spoken Word poetry. I went with the name “dezisdope” (Dez is Dope) because it’s catchy and “dope” is one of my favorite words. A friend of mine made a website that has never been launched. From that site I had a logo. I edited the logo a bit, made a flyer, created some hashtags (#dezisdope #queerwithshears #dezgotskills #madebydopeness #queerbarbersdoitbetter) and started to use Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to get my name out. Folks contact me primarily through email to set up appointments at the shop or for house/office visits. They also message me on Facebook. I do house calls on my days off – Mondays and Tuesdays. House visits are slightly more expensive than the cuts at the shop in order to cover the travel costs.

dapperQ: Do you get many queer customers at Nelson’s?

Dez: Living true to my intention on creating a safe experience for queer and trans folks, I’ve focused my outreach and advertising to these customers as my primary base. I started by just utilizing my personal FB page to support this targeted outreach and then moved to advertising on queer groups on FB, like Queer Exchange and The QTPOC Exchange. I received a bulk of my queer and trans clients this way. While my clientele isn’t exclusively queer and trans, the majority of them are.

dapperQ: Queer fashion sites like dapperQ and Qwear are often asked, “What is queer style?” Does it exist? And, if so, what sets queer style apart from other aesthetics? Along the same lines, many of our readers ask us about queer hair styles (e.g. is there such a thing and where are the best places to get one). Do you believe that “queer hair styles” are a discernible aesthetic? If so, what makes them unique?

Dez: As queer folks, our entire existence challenges hegemonic norms, including our physical forms of expression. I feel like any hairstyle we rock poses a challenge to what society says we are supposed to look like. You rock a fade when society says you should have shoulder-length hair; you have an undercut with a dope design; you have a bowl cut with a tail; maybe you have a classic tapered cut or a funky asymmetrical cut. Or maybe you have the exact cut that society thinks you should have. If you chose it and own it, in my opinion that is a political act of resistance and sustainability. We should be able to look exactly how we want to look. As queer folks, we are told everything about us is wrong, and so as a community I think we take far more risks with our style and push the growing edge more than others. My role as your barber is to allow you to express yourself the way you want.

I describe a lot of the cuts I do as “dope” or “funky.” Stark contrasts between weight lines, as opposed to smooth fades. Versatility in how you can style. Unique framing of the face; a playfulness to the cut. Traditionally masculine styles for female-identified clients, traditionally feminine styles for male-identified clients; that’s queer style to me. A barber that is willing to throw out convention is the best barber to go to for these cuts. Barbers are trained to have smooth transitions in our cuts, for everything to be even. To me, queer style flips those ideas. That’s really what I like to do. I play with lengths, I play with weight lines. And I make it look good. It’s a clean look while still being a little messy. It’s perfect, without being perfect. I like to think my cuts have just the right amount of funk with a classic appeal.

dapperQ: How do you understand your clientele different from the way a classic Barbershop does?

Dez: I think working as a community organizer for all those years gives me an advantage that other barbers might not have. As an organizer, your greatest tool is the ability to create strong relationships with people; actively listening and engaging with them in an authentic and genuine way. I definitely bring that to my game as a barber. I listen to my client, not just about the cut they want, but what goes on in their life. Sometimes the conversation is surface: how was your day, are you a fan of whatever team is playing on the tv, how deep is your love for Beyonce, etc. But many times it gets deep: how was it when you came out to family and friends, what are your thoughts on the movement around police brutality, etc. But the conversations are real. They let me connect with my clients and really build with them. On Facebook at least, folks are always looking for a barber. It’s an intimate relationship. Some of Nelson’s clients have been going to him for 20 years. They trust him with a lot of personal info about their lives, family, work, etc. As a barber, you are also a sort of life coach; people tell you things and want your advice. Other times they just want to be heard. My experience as an organizer applies so much to my role as a barber now. It’s not about having the answers to everyone’s problems; it’s about listening and helping them reach the solution themselves. And while they are doing that, helping them look hotter than when they came into the shop. So not only do they feel better because they got something off their chest, or maybe even have a solution to an issue, they look in the mirror and feel good because their haircut is dope.

The biggest thing I bring to the table that some other barbers don’t is a shared lived experience with the majority of my clientele. I know how scary it is to be queer, for your gender expression to be different than what others think or expect it to be, and for others to wild out about it. When someone misgenders you, your radar goes up. Your body gets tense because you don’t know what’s going to happen next. I like to think that being an open queer woman of color, I help decrease that type of anxiety at the shop. When a client comes to me, they know they will get a dope cut with support and not judgement. My consultation is thorough, because I want to make sure I am understanding exactly what my client wants, and what they don’t want. This is so important, because a lot of folks will come to me with stories about other barbers they went to who didn’t give them the cut they want. And the person didn’t feel safe enough to challenge them on it. You never want to say to your client, “I thought you said you wanted…” I also take that time to reassure them that they are in a safe space, that I will take care of them, and that they can relax. I don’t start cutting until I know they are ready. There’s comfort in getting your hair cut by another person who is queer and is open about it. I am purposely open about my queerness at the shop, because it is so much a part of my identity. I don’t expect my clients to out themselves in any way. But by me being out, I am putting out the request to the other barbers and clients to maintain the shop as a safe space for me at the very least. And that extends to my clients. It’s definitely not easy. Nelson’s Barbershop is not a magical utopia. I’m willing to bet many of the folks who go there are not around many queer or trans folks. So I have conversations about identity and expression. I share from my own experience what it means to be queer, to be a cisgender woman, to be harassed because of who I am and how I look. And I take a lot of time to discuss words like “trans,” “cisgender, “preferred gender pronouns,” “safe space,” etc. with the other barbers. I have had horrible experiences at some barbershops, and so have my clients. It’s dehumanizing. It’s deplorable. And it shouldn’t happen. When I ask a client what their PGP is (preferred gender pronoun), a lot of the anxiety they had fades away. We share experience, language, horror stories, resistance and empowerment. I am queer barber of color with some radical politics, and I make that known to the shop and anyone that sits in my chair.

My role is to support my clients in being their full selves. I do that by giving them the haircut they want and treating them with the respect they deserve. I am not sure if that really makes me any different from other barbers, because I think we all do that. But many times, when the barber is not queer and the client is (queer, gender non-comforming, trans), the treatment changes. The simple activity of getting a haircut becomes this intricate and intimidating action. Getting a haircut should be an enjoyable experience. Not one you fear. I reassure people one haircut at a time.

dapperQ: What are your rates?

Dez: The thing I love about Nelson’s Barbershop is that the cuts are affordable, despite the rapid gentrification going on in Flatbush. Our cuts start at $15 cash; a haircut and a shave are $20. My housecall prices start at $20. I provide all the same services in your home that we provide at the shop. As a barber, I specialize in shorter styles: fades, caesars, baldies, undercuts, mohawks, shape-ups. I do a lot of pixie cuts. But I also cut longer hair, mostly in the form of trims. Barbers aren’t trained the same way hairstylists are, so I am not able to style longer hair yet. If you went to a stylist and just need a trim for maintenance, I got you. I also do some design work. I am still learning the ropes of designs, but the more I do it the better I will be.

*Additional info:
If people want to see my cuts, they can visit my fan page on Facebook at facebook.com/dezisdope or they can follow me on Instagram: @dezgotskills.

I am at Nelson’s Barbershop, located at 248 Parkside Ave in Brooklyn:
Wednesdays 9:30am to 9pm
Thursdays-Saturdays 11am to 9pm
Sundays 11am to 9pm
House/Office visits on Mondays and Tuesdays (email to schedule appointment by Sundays at 5pm)

The post Interview: Queer Cuts with Dez Marshall at Nelson’s Barber Shop appeared first on dapperQ.

Note: CorporateQ is a series that focuses upon how masculine presenting gender queers are bringing their dapper selves to the workplace.

What happens when how you dress for work puts you on a collision course with your employer? For answers to this question and more, dapperQ Founder Susan Herr recently sat down with Jillian Weiss, principal of Law Office of Jillian T. Weiss P.C. She discussed why forward thinking corporations are eager to create inclusive environments for trans and gender nonconforming employees; how federal statutes can provide protections no matter where we live; and the rapidly evolving nature of law in this area.

This is an abbreviated version of our conversation.

Susan Herr: You are an attorney whose firm represents trans and gender nonconforming people who are victims of employment discrimination. You produce a blog called Transworkplace. You’ve written a book on the topic as well as numerous research publications. Your commitment is obviously rich and deep. How did you get in to this work?

Jillian T. Weiss: I started practicing law in 1986. When I transitioned from male to female in 1998 I promptly lost my job. I spent a few years as a secretary but then went back to school, where I got my PhD in Law & Society from Northeastern University.

SH: What can you tell me about your work and your firm?

JTW: There is a great lack of resources for those who are gender non-conforming and experience employment discrimination. Many lawyers do not understand this area of the law. They don’t understand the social background. They don’t get it. So their advice is just wrong for those people.

But there is also a lot of new law in this area. A lot of people have been working hard on these issues for the past 20 years so there is a lot to work with.

I now have about a dozen cases around the country involving transgender employees. I’ve represented people who do not identify as transgender but I would consider their gender expression as transgressive.

Once I started doing this work, I very quickly found lots of clients, nearly all of whom I represent on a contingency basis. That means no legal fee is paid unless money is recovered because people in these situations do not have the kind of money needed to pay the hourly fees of an attorney. It means I often have to wait a long time before I get paid. In some instances I do not get paid at all.

For me it is a real quest for justice although I am clear that the law is not about justice. It is really about documentation and about rules. As someone who knows those rules, my role is to help people navigate that incredibly complex, nerve wracking and trauma-inducing system.

SH: Prior to establishing your law firm, you served as consultant to a wide range of Fortune 500 companies looking to address trans employment issues. What did you learn?

JTW: Companies that are more forward thinking want to be seen as diversity leaders. There are many such companies that have indicated interest in being proactive in hiring transgender and gender nonconforming people. My dissertation focused on companies that had inclusive policies in 2001, and my question was why? Why would you have that policy? You don’t have any transgender employees that you know of, and there’s no law requiring it.

And after interviewing about 40 to 50 human resources execs in companies that had these policies, I began to realize that diversity is a huge issue because to remain on top you need to be able to hire top talent.

There’s only so much you can do with a policy that says ‘we don’t discriminate.’ There is only so much you can do with an affinity group. Everyone’s got that. What you can do is demonstrate that ‘…we are on the leading edge of diversity. We don’t even allow discrimination against these people who don’t seem to work here and we don’t even know what they are defined as and we aren’t even sure what this policy is but look, this is what we do.’

SH: From what you describe, it’s like trans and gender nonconforming people are the canaries in the coalmine. Companies are sending a message that says if these folks can sing here, anyone can.

JTW: Look, the demographics of the country are changing. By 2050 we will be majority nonwhite. Companies are realizing they will not be able to do business as usual. Kudos to companies which are willing to reach out in these ways. The word hasn’t penetrated that far but forward thinking companies have really begun to lead the way.

SH: What types of employment settings are we talking about?

JTW: I have clients who are truck drivers, corporate professionals, folks who work for very large companies and small companies. We really are everywhere and that’s what folks are starting to realize. There are estimates that probably 700,000 to a million people in this country identify as transgender. And the population who might identify as genderqueer is obviously larger than that. You are talking about a lot of people. So if you have an organization of any size, you are going to run in to us.

SH: Okay, so let’s get a sense of the legal issues we are talking about when it comes to employment discrimination.

JTW: There is a federal law, the Federal Civil Rights Acts of 1964, which has a section prohibiting employment discrimination. Often known as Title VII, it prohibits any kind of negative employment action based on sex, among other things. The courts have interpreted that to include sexual stereotyping, meaning it is discrimination if someone is assumed to be capable or not capable of a work activity because of their sex or assumed sex, or if they are judged negatively because they are stepping outside the stereotypes expected of that sex or assumed sex. So, for example, if someone who identifies as a woman wants to wear a bowtie and a vest to work and the employer doesn’t like that and lets it be known that the employee is going to suffer negative consequences, that would be a violation of the Civil Rights Act, unless it violates a non-discriminatory dress code. Similarly, if they were called by epithets that related to their sex, gender or sex stereotyping or if they were treated in a harsh or negative manner by coworkers or managers because of that. This would apply in any kind of workplace from corporate offices, to manufacturing plants to hotels. But it only applies to companies with employees with 15 or more.

So what that means is that everyone in the United States and everywhere the Act covers, including Guam and Puerto Rico, is protected on the basis of not only of their sex but their gender identity and expression. The reason that is so important is that the United States Equal Employment Commission, which is the commission that enforces that law, has said that this is a priority for them. And the reason that is important is that all of these agencies are short-staffed. They all have way less investigators than they need and way less money. But when an issue is placed on a priority track, it means that investigators are definitely going make sure they get to those issues in a meaningful way.

SH: And by that you mean trans issues?

JTW: They have said more broadly LGBT issues.

SH: I’m surprised to hear that because you hear that our rights vary so much from state to state and city to city. How much protection does the Civil Rights Act provide for people who aren’t covered by state and local laws?

JTW: Federal law covers everyone in every state. It is really a first line of defense. Yes, it is true that protections vary from state to state and city to city. One of the things we know as attorneys operating in these areas is that the state law may not have as much teeth in it as the federal law. In a few instances, it has more. For instance, in New York City and in San Francisco, the city laws are actually stronger than the federal laws. But for most places the federal law is probably the best line of defense. The federal government has a whole enforcement mechanism that kicks into place and employers know that when the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission comes calling, this is not the kind of thing you just slough off.

You are protected now. We have cases all over the country. That is why we exist.

SH: From a legal perspective, what else can you say about those of us transgressing men’s fashion in the workplace?

JTW: Well it’s a very important question and I think it is very clear under the law that gender expression, or as the courts call it sex stereotyping, is protected as a category under the law. Harassment or hostile work environment is certainly prohibited but the way it has been written in the Civil Rights Act is that it has to be severe or pervasive. It can’t just be an isolated comment. So if it’s one comment, it’s not nice but it’s probably not a violation. But if it’s done twice it might be, depending on how, when these things occur and what other things are occurring.

SH: Employers certainly have the right to expect an adequate level of professionalism in dress. Can we argue that if it is professional for one gender, it is professional for another?

JTW: I don’t know that I would necessarily approach it as a one for one. Maybe, but the key question regarding discrimination is whether or not this is related to gender expression or sex stereotyping. And I think you have raised a good point: if men are allowed to dress one way and women are not, then the question becomes: is this gender motivated?

Now I should mention a case that came down in the 9^th Circuit called Jespersen v. Harrah’s. It involved a woman who had worked as a server at Harrah’s and they came up with a new program called “Personal Best.” What “personal best” meant for women was putting on make-up and curling their hair. Ms. Jespersen was not a woman who wore makeup. She had a somewhat masculine look but she did identify as a woman. She said “…wearing make-up makes me feel like I’m dead.” So they fired her. To those people seeing this as gender expression, it seemed obvious that this is discrimination based on sex stereotyping, but the court said it wasn’t. And this shows how much of a word game the law really is, and how important it is to think out these cases. The court said there was no showing of an unequal burden. The men had to wear certain types of things and style themselves in certain kinds of ways. The women are asked to do the same thing and it’s permitted to have variant dress code. So since the burdens are not unequal, there is not inequality of the sexes. They are just being asked to follow different rules. That ruling is much bemoaned by those of us in field, but it only applies in the 9^th Circuit (states on the West Coast). We are hopeful that other federal courts will not look at it that way because it does not address the nature of people’s gender.

SH: I know you can’t retrofit this ruling but what if she had identified as genderqueer?

JTW: That is another complicated question because there was case in New York where you had a hairdresser who worked for a well-known salon called Bumble and Bumble. The case was known as Dawson v. Bumble and Bumble. The plaintiff identified as a lesbian, and as gender nonconforming. She said she was treated poorly because of her sexual orientation, as protected by NYC law. She also said she was mistreated as someone who is gender nonconforming under the federal law prohibiting sex discrimination. She said they made fun of her hairstyle and her clothing. The federal Court of Appeals was totally unimpressed because the salon argued “…we employ lots of lesbians and they don’t seem to have a problem.” They also said she was suing for sexual orientation discrimination so she couldn’t possibly win under the federal law for sex discrimination, because the federal law is generally not considered to include sexual orientation. So it was a huge mess. The Court punted, deciding that since the line between gender non-conformity and sexual orientation was unclear in that case, the federal law didn’t cover it. So you must have a lawyer who knows this area, and can construct the case according to these arcane legal rules.

To get back to your original question, courts have to be approached carefully because they work well when you work them well but if you don’t do the right thing in the right order it doesn’t always work.

SH: I thought where you were headed was something like genderqueer not being covered because it’s outside the binary?

JTW: No, it’s covered, but the courts get confused. So, speaking of binary, the law looks at this as either you are discriminated against because of your sexual orientation or your gender. So part of our job is to steer the progress of the law because people can fit in to many different categories. You can be genderqueer and a lesbian or straight or bisexual. The courts are very slow to catch up to all this.

SH: I’d love to get your take on where age fits in to this equation. Those of us who are older may be more likely to conform for a wide array of reasons including expectations with which we were raised, higher-pay grades and more vulnerability if we were to lose our jobs. What’s your take?

JTW: My sense is there is an intersectionality. As you get older, your gender identity is going to raise some issues in terms of non-forward thinking employers.   Age will often become an issue because older people often have more experience and are paid more. Sometimes it’s because employers just prefer people who can be trained in their way and more easily controlled, shall we say. At the other end of the spectrum, most of the clients we have are not people in powerful positions, not CEO’s or CFO’s, not even a lot of managers. We are really seeing frontline people who management feels they can more easily get rid of. Age can play a part in that as well.

SH: So I’m really beginning to understand how complicated this all is. As you said earlier, these laws and systems are very complex and rapidly evolving. Your job is to help clients navigate this landscape.

JTW: If people think they are being discriminated against, they can call on us. That’s why we are here.

SH: Thanks, so much, for taking time for this interview. I couldn’t be more grateful for your efforts on our behalf.

The post CorporateQ: A Discussion with Attorney Jillian Weiss appeared first on dapperQ.

*Featured image via Exquisite Weddings

A reader writes:

Dear dapperQ friends,

I am going to an event wearing dark pants and a royal blue dress shirt. Black vest. What color tie do I pair with that? Everything I read says your tie must be darker than your shirt, but I’m not wild about wearing a boring old black tie. How in the world can I dapper this up? Thoughts about ties with darker shirts in general?

Excellent question. Without knowing more about your outfit (dark pants + royal blue shirt + black dress shirt, but what color pants/shoes/belt, etc?), I cannot recommend an exact color tie. But, you absolutely can wear dark ties with dark shirts and still look fashion-forward. You can dapper it up a notch by adding a tie with patterns and texture. For example, when it comes to pairing ties with black shirts, GQ states, “Reach for a graphic, colorful tie. It pops against the black. Here are some examples:

via The Rake

via Stay Classic

via Style.com

via GQ

via What My Boyfriend Wore

via GQ

via Exquisite Weddings

The post Ask dapperQ: Dark Shirt and Tie Combo? appeared first on dapperQ.

dapperQ is pleased to announce the winners of Beyond Measure, our New York Fashion Week partnership with bespoke clothiers Bindle & Keep and Ace Hotel New York. Beyond Measure offered the opportunity to honor three deserving nominees with a custom suit and dress shirt from Bindle & Keep, plus a night’s stay at Ace Hotel New York.

We asked our neighbors and friends from the community to nominate a special someone they thought deserved a new suit — activists, social workers and rebels, those in the law and civil rights sector and those fighting the good fight for positive social change.

The call was heard. Over the past week Beyond Measure judges — JD Samson, Murray Hill, Eliza Byard and dapperQ — pored over scads of nominations, each one inspiring, dauntless and humbling. After much deliberation, we’re honored to announce the three well-deserving winners of Beyond Measure — Renata Hill, Zahyr Lauren and Tiq Milan.

RENATA HILL

Renata Hill is a mother and full-time student currently earning an Associates degree in Human Services at the Borough of Manhattan Community College. Her story is featured in the critically acclaimed documentary Out in the Night which explores the charges and conviction of Renata and three other women (labeled by the media as the New Jersey Four) for fighting back against a man who attacked them on a street in New York in 2006. The film examines how race, sexual orientation and gender violence affect ideas about safety and self-defense. After her release, she worked with the HWWP (Hour Working Women Program) in the mentoring department in Long Island City, mentoring young children and teens who are affected due to the absence of an incarcerated parent. She speaks publicly about her experience with violence, prison, her life’s challenges and accomplishments on panels, at universities, in the media, and is touring film festivals in support of Out in the Night which has been awarded several festival jury and audience awards since its world premiere in June 2014. Renata is at her best today and continues to be positive and challenge life.

URL / Socials:

Instagram: @renatahillinj4
Facebook: NJ4renatahill
Twitter: @raynebow_sex

The post Announcing the Winners of the Ace Hotel NY + Bindle & Keep + dapperQ “Beyond Measure” Campaign appeared first on dapperQ.

Introduction by Ryley Ruben Pogensky

The first two months of this year have highlighted an epidemic in our country that shows no signs of slowing down. Not only are QPTOC voices being smothered, they are being silenced forever. We need to talk about race, we must talk about oppression, and we must end transphobia. POC voices can not be left behind in that battle, while white LGBTQ people continue to assimilate into straight cis society and gain the media spotlight. Here are four powerful voices – two POC and two white – continuing the conversation:

ANTHONY ZOSHERAFATAIN

As a trans-man of color, I often find myself at a crossroads: Do I neglect my ethnic background in favor of my trans identity? I often find myself fighting for a space in the community as a middle eastern, hairy, feminist, artistic, and anti-norm trans man. I don’t see myself in the mainstream media, and more importantly, I don’t see myself represented in my own community. I have held onto the prospect of hope and progress towards full inclusion of underprivileged trans men in the media, but two recent images from my community that went viral reinforced my gut feeling: white, able-bodied, heterosexual trans men with toned physiques are the only ones deemed worthy of media attention.

Most recently, this has been evident with two images of white trans men that spread like wildfire. I’m sure they have had their own struggles worth covering, but it must be acknowledged that it has come at the expense of displacing underprivileged trans men from feeling represented. One of these images featured a comparison between a trans man and Adam Levine:

via Ego City

The other photo was featured in an article about a trans man whose girlfriend “never knew her hunky boyfriend was born female”:

via Mirror 

Many in the trans male community instantly applauded both images, which is understandable given the relative lack of trans masculine representation in the media. It became evident, however, that this response was connected to how the media treated such images. The media was quick to give its approval to these trans men because they conform to traditional standards about what the “ideal male body” should look like. Our own community reinforces this, by concentrating on proving that our bodies are “attractive” rather than challenging normative ideas about gender, masculinity, and beauty.

I know that some trans men want to be stealth and attain such physiques, but when it repeatedly excludes trans men who are of color, disabled, genderqueer, not heterosexual, not toned, and who don’t want to or can’t medically transition from being represented, then it becomes problematic. As trans men, we may be pawns in a larger system that doesn’t yet deem most of our bodies worthy, yet when similar images in our community have become viral, it can’t be denied that we are not doing a good job of prioritizing underprivileged voices in our own community. We must change this. It won’t get better, until we do better.

About the contributor: Tony Zosherafatain is a 27 year old Iranian and Greek FTM. He is the Director and Producer of I am the T: an FTM documentary, a film about a diverse group of trans men around the world. Tony is also a student at New York University, where he is studying to become a nurse practitioner focusing on trans-inclusive endocrinology.

CIANAN RUSSELL

When I read Ryley’s piece in Qwear, my first thought was, “I need to listen to this to become the kind of man I want to be.” My second thought was, “I need to listen to this to keep myself from becoming the kind of man I never want to be.” It’s a callout that white transmen need to hear: because of our white privilege, our voices are over-represented and over-valued in the popular transmasculine narrative. We get the cover photos, the “so-hot-you-won’t-believe-he-used-to-be-a-woman” articles, the television interviews and column space. Ryley called this out clearly and directly, and the predictably disappointing response from white transmen was shotgun denialism.

White transmen are in a unique position; We have done the impossible in moving through transition into the most privileged social position – white and male. But in doing so, it appears that many of us have forgotten how oppression works. We engage in counterpoint arguments with trans people of color and white transwomen, insisting that our voices need more space and that they should make it for us. While it is absolutely true that transmasculine voices need more attention on a grand scale, looking at the current landscape, all I can see are white transmen taking up the little space we do have. This issue is difficult because the amount of exposure and visibility that we do get as transmen is already woefully inadequate. However, white supremacy and racism allow for white transmen to completely dominate the dialogue, and so long as we are complacent about this discrepancy, it will continue.

This discrepancy is a problem because not all transmen are white. Transmasculine POC exist, even though the media does not see them. And as transmen, we have a responsibility to the young Black and brown boys who were assigned female at birth, just like us. They struggle with dysphoria, sexuality, sexism, and transphobia, just like us. They search for images of themselves, struggling to find their place, just like us. They have been drug out of bathrooms, beaten, harassed, and raped, just like us. With our newfound privilege, when we ignore the lives of Black and brown boys, we become just more white men yelling “You are not a man.”

When the only models for transmasculinity they can find do not look like them, we leave these boys behind. When conversations end with white men telling someone to be quiet, we leave these boys behind. When we say “we are all trans; race shouldn’t matter”, we leave these boys behind. I do not accept that. I have survived these 14 years in transition because a community insisted that my life had value when I was hopeless. I won’t stand by while my community tells Black and brown transmen the opposite.

 About the contributor: Cianán is a lapsed PhD chemist, writer, public speaker, trainer, activist, and assessment expert whose interests in activism are transmasculine representation in global trans activism and development of the public concept of trans folks as complete people with lives, identities, and desires beyond simply being trans. As a gay trans man, his personal interests also include expanding the visibility of the variety of trans folks, prevention and treatment of sexual violence and rape amongst trans survivors, and sexual and reproductive health services for gay and queer trans men. Cianán has founded and worked with numerous local, national, and international trans rights organizations, writes a blog at transience-inside.blogspot.com, and lives in Bangkok with his partner.

DEVIN NORELLE

NY Fashion week has come to a close and it made me think a little this week. What comes to mind when you think of high fashion? Do you imagine tall, slender models walking the runway clad in outfits that are not likely to be worn by the general public? Do you imagine these men and women as some of the most attractive and desirable people in the world? I’m sure you do. Now take a moment to think very seriously about my next question. What are the races of these models you initially imagined? I’ll take a good guess; they are most likely white. And if they were of other races, than kudos to you! Let’s face it, runways are predominantly white. Racism runs rampant in the fashion industry as black models are less visible on the runway. Black models are rarely hired, and often they are turned away when a company has met their one black person quota per show. In 2013, the fashion powerhouse Dior hired black models for a show for the first time under Raf Simons’ lead. (The shows were racially diverse prior to Simons.) The consistent racism suggests that the fashion industry, has deemed white people beautiful and attractive, while black people are seen as less than desirable.

Decades of racism conveyed by the fashion industry and the media has trickled down into every level of society. The queer community has also succumbed to the whitewashing. I currently run a fashion account on instagram (@TransMensFashion) as a safe space for those in FTM community who’d like to showcase their dapper threads. After transmen or other trans-masculine individuals submit their photos to me, I repost their photos onto my account. Some weeks after I created TransMensFashion, I eventually began to notice a disappointing trend. White men were more likely to receive “likes” and compliments than black men or other men of color. This was incredibly puzzling to me, especially since some of the best dressed men on my feed were black men, including my friend Dezjorn, a model for Barney’s Brothers and Sisters Campaign.

Not surprisingly, this trend isn’t limited to my account. There are now numerous Instagram feeds highlighting proud transgender men including Transandproud, toplesstransmen ftmsogig, barbellsandftms. Nonetheless, whitewashing continues to persist. Transmen of color do not receive as much attention, are not complimented as often, or are overlooked entirely. If an individual is not a passing, white male, and does not successfully resemble a white, cisgender male, then most of the trans* community ignores said individual.

Recently, a photo comparison of transman Aydian Dowling and singer Adam Levine went viral (see above). Aydian received praise from many in the trans* community for how well he passed, and for appearing to be a better looking man than Adam. While I do believe Aydian looks pretty amazing, I disagree with the message behind the picture. The comparison praises white bodies, the gender binary, and reinforces heteronormativity. When transmen are portrayed in the media (by either a trans writer or cis author), the male examples are almost white.

In a nation where black, female bodied individuals are among some of the poorest, and black transmen have less access to financial or medical resources necessary for a transition, the lack of TPOC visibility is troubling. It’s even more disconcerting that our community continuously contributes to this invisibility via Transmale specific magazines, blogs, or Instagram/Tumblr accounts. Trans men of color do exist. Our community needs to make a better effort in making sure the TPOCs are given the exposure and shown the same amount of respect as our white comrades so as to better represent our community.

About the contributor: Devin-Norelle is a native New Yorker by way of Harlem. Ze has been featured on DapperQ’s 100 Most Stylish dapperQs of 2014. Ze runs the instagram page TransMensFashion as a safe space for dapper Transmen and Transmasculine individuals. Ze also blogs about zis transition and about the social implications of being an androgynous TPOC at TransparentGender.

SAM LEON

As several friends of mine in more qualified positions than me to speak on race relations have pointed out, the entire scope of trans-masculine visibility in America — from the prominent trans-male culture magazines, to “who gets featured” on viral Buzz-feed listicles, to the trans men they profile from women’s colleges in the New York Times Magazine — is white, white, white. Why this has come to be should be no surprise to anyone who is even a casual observer of race relations in the United States, and I cannot make it the job of this article to break down to you that we do, in fact, live in a structurally reinforced racist society. This is a foregone conclusion, and if you’re not on board with this, I’m just going to tell you that you haven’t been paying attention and you need to read the news more often. The problematic aspect of “all-white everything” in our trans-masculine culture lies in the fact that we, as white trans men, are actually in a position of great visibility and power due to a culture that values white men above everyone else. “With great power comes great responsibility,” says our favorite 17th-century author Voltaire, and as such, we have a responsibility not to let down our P.O.C. brothers-sisters-and-kinfolk who are in more vulnerable positions than ourselves.

“Why must I do this,” you ask. “Why should this cross fall to me when I too have experienced hardship? I too, have been misgendered, hated by family members, experienced mental health issues, and otherwise encountered difficult situations that put my life at risk? Why can’t everything just be about me now that I’m working on (or have completed) my transition?” The answer, quite simply, is that the group of people I’m asking you to pay attention to, are systematically and constantly at a larger risk than you are. For every misgendering you’ve had, a trans man of color that you don’t even know has been misgendered and then stopped and frisked by a police officer. For every time you’ve felt invisible, lost in society,  a trans woman has been murdered by her partner or by a group of passers-by, drunk and egging each other on in the streets. If you’ve experienced homelessness, so have they — in spades. If you’ve been broke, they’ve been broke and unable to fund their transitions through public campaigns in a culture that pretty much refuses to discuss or portray black trans* lives. In short, there is pretty much no aspect of a transwoman or trans person of color’s life that has been any easier than yours, and many aspects that have been — and always will be — harder.

Now I recognize that “white trans men” are not some monolithic group that have all medically transitioned, are all passing perfectly, and are all living an ideal life surrounded by friends, family, and a partner or partners. But DON’T LIE — some of you are that person, and if you are, I’m *especially* talking to you. So I’m going to take this opportunity to shame, corral, or otherwise convince you that BLACK (and POC) TRANS LIVES and TRANS WOMEN’S LIVES MATTER. All I ask is that the next time cis culture rewards you for being exactly who you are, please remember these forgotten members of your community, and try to dream up ways to uplift them and share their voices and stories with the world. This is called giving back, and it costs nothing except your time, and your ability to listen and learn.

About the contributor: Sam is an accounting student and CPA candidate who is passionate about issues of race, gender, and class in America. His hobbies include reading long-form articles, ranting about things on the Internet, discovering new music, and recently, home-brewing beer.

*dapperQ’s Community Voices is a platform for and by the community to share stories, opinions, and essays. We embrace diverse points-of-view and welcome you to join the discussion in the comments section below, on Twitter, or by pitching your own pieces for publication via dapperQ@gmail.com

About the discussion curator: Ryley Pogensky is a native New Yorker currently residing in the Brooklyn of California – Oakland. Earlier this year Ryley was one of 17 transgender models who posed for Barneys groundbreaking Spring campaign. Ryley can often be found behind the scenes of New Yorks biggest queer parties and in front of the camera for various queer photographers. He is the dapperQ of 2014 and runs the blog Queergrub. Click here for more of Ryley on dapperQ.

The post Community Voices: Panel Continues the Conversation about Race and Racism in the Trans Community appeared first on dapperQ.

Welcome to our second edition of Seven Days of Dapper for 2015. We are extremely excited to explore different styles of dapper this year. Dana Jade’s wardrobe exemplifies how casual cool can look totally put together, an effortlessly dapper aesthetic that many of our readers who do not feel comfortable in a three-piece-suit often aspire to achieve.

Bio:
A native of New York, Dana Jade provides A.B.A based therapy at a school for children with Autism. She is also an accomplished musician who has been playing guitar for 11 years and has toured and played in several bands. When she is not playing at venues, she is giving private lessons to children with autism. Dana has been a tomboy since she could remember, which was a source of many fights with her mom. Not wanting to wear dresses and stealing her little brother’s clothes, she has always had an interest in more masculine clothing. While her mom tried and failed to get her to wear feminine clothing, her mother has always been supportive of her individuality and even let her shop in the boy’s department growing up. Dana states, “I can remember my first communion being so upset wearing a dress and wanting to wear a suit like the boys. I have always felt more comfortable wearing boys and men’s clothing or clothing with a masculine flare. I had long hair growing up, and once I cut it really short, I finally felt like my true self. I would describe my style as rock star, preppy, and funky. I don’t think I try to model my style after any specific icon, but I’ve always had a fascination with James Dean. I love his spirit, swagger and style. I’d like to think I’m a female version of him.”

DAY 1: Work Attire

I work with children that have special needs, so I am always on the move and need to wear comfortable, breathable clothing. I also need to wear a watch because certain things are timed for the children. My Wewood watch is awesome! I love wooden anything and this watch is super light and durable! The school in which I work has a slight dress code; We aren’t allowed to wear denim. However, they are super chill about my tattoos, which is a plus because I have six and my shoulders down to my top biceps are covered in tats! My usual attire is khakis, sweatshirt or sweater, tee shirt, and sneakers.

Sweat Jacket: Gap
Tee shirt: Uniqlo
Khakis: Gap
Socks: Pacsun
Shoes: Timberland
Watch: Gifted (Wewood)

DAY 2: Gym Wear

I love working out; At the gym, I feel like I am in my element! I like to dress as comfortable as possible. I love to wear graphic tees with funny gym sayings on them, as well as sweatpants or shorts. And, I love my Nike 2.0 sneakers. I’ve had them for two years and they still feel like slippers!

Jacket: Adidas
Shirt: Amazon
Pants: CSG (champ sports)
Sneakers: Nike 2.0

DAY 3: Walking the dog

Over the summer, I adopted my dog, Spartacus, from the North Shore Animal League. He is one of the best things that ever happened to me; He has brought so much joy into my life. On the weekends, I like to bring him to a lake that is by my house. We usually walk for about a mile and a half and then we go home and cuddle. I like to wear a lot of layers, because it can get cold and comfy sneakers. The graphic tee I am wearing is a picture of Spartacus. It was a Christmas gift from my girl friend. She’s the best!

Hat: H&M
Coat: Gap
Denim shirt: Gap
Graphic Tee: Gift
Jeans: American Eagle
Sneakers: Nike
Dog: Shepherd/Hound/Awesome

DAY 4: Out on the Town

I love suspenders and bowties! I would wear this outfit if I was going out to a party, bar, or hanging around the city.

Hat: Amazon
Suspenders: H&M
Shirt: New York and Company
Pants: Gap
Shoes: Sketchers
Bowtie: Christmas gift

DAY 5: Performance Outfit

Music is a huge part of my life! I’ve been playing guitar for 11 years. When I’m jamming on my own or playing in bands I like to rock a leather jacket, graphic tee, jeans or cargos, and boots.

Jacket: Nordstrom Rack
Tee shirt: H&M
Pants: Whoau
Belt: Vans
Boots: Timberland
Necklace: INBLUE Jewelry

DAY 6: Family Dinner

Whenever I go out with my family to a nice restaurant, I wear high fashions such as a collar shirt, sweater, and slacks.

Shirt: H&M
Sweater: Uniqlo
Pants: H&M
Shoes: Zara
Bowtie: H&M

DAY 7: Date Night

Sometimes when you take your girlfriend out, you have to dress to impress. I love this outfit. I feel so classy and sexy in it! I call it my James Bond outfit.

Jacket:Uniqlo
Sweater: Uniqlo
Pants: Banana Republic
Shoes: Cole Haan

Photography by Briana Vigliarolo

The post Seven Days of Dapper: Dana Jade appeared first on dapperQ.

dossier

noun dos·sier \ˈdos-ˌyā, ˈdäs-; ˈdo-sē-ˌā, ˈdä-\

:a collection of papers or other sources, containing detailed information about a particular person or subject.

A note from dapperQ’s Editor-in-Chief: Welcome to dapperQ contributor Gabrielle Royal’s latest column: Style Dossier, which will profile stylish queers across the country. Not only is this the debut edition of Style Dossier, but Gabrielle’s first subject, Teri Tan, is also our dapperQ of the month!

Teri Tan

Outfit Details:
Bowtie: Topman (a gift from my best friend)
Shirt: G2000 (women’s)
Blazer: H&M (women’s)
Lapel Pin: Pride Corp
Pants: Zara boys (tailored)
Bag: ALDO
Socks: The Children’s Place
Shoes: Thrifted (in Sydney), but it’s from Gracegift

Bio: Born and raised in Singapore, Teri is currently a student at New York University studying Finance and Accounting, with a minor in Gender & Sexuality Studies. Teri is also President of NYU’s Pride Corp. Even though she’s already 21, she really wants to model kids’ clothes.

Gabrielle Royal: Tell us about Pride Corp and how do you see fashion influencing your work?

Teri Tan: Pride Corp is NYU Stern’s LGBTQ student group – we focus on the professional development of our members as well as building community. On campus, there are lots of queer clubs, and lots of business clubs, but Pride Corp is the only one that amalgamates the two. This is a unique intersection, in my opinion, because I often find myself the only business student in a room full of queers, and the only queer in a room full of business students. Our club is not only for business school students, we have many members from the rest of NYU as well. It is commonly thought that the business world treats queers badly – though it is not the friendliest industry, initiatives like Out for Undergrad Business Conference (OUBC) has showed queer business students that there is a supportive community within the industry. There remains a lot of work to be done and as president of Pride Corp, I want to show the queers (and there are many closeted queers in stern!) that 1. It is ok to be queer in the business school – take up space! 2. We are here for you. The larger goal of Pride Corp is to educate people – about allyship being more than just ‘be queer, but do that in your own space’, it’s a demonstration, not an identity. Allyship is about understanding intersectionality, about critically thinking about social issues and actively supporting marginalized communities in the way they need to be supported.

GR: You are very involved at New York University and in your community. How do think fashion can be used as a form of activism or way to implement change?

TT: As for fashion, there’s a lot of “suit and tie” in the business industry, but I feel that there is definitely room to express individuality while remaining professional. As someone at the bottom of the ladder, I don’t step too far off. ‘Business casual’ is my favourite dress code – I usually wear a patterned shirt under my jacket suit. Because I am a queer masculine-presenting boi that wears a different kind of business casual aside from the beige chinos and light blue button up, I’m often the only one in the room that looks that way. But I’ve learnt to embrace it and be confident in my style. It’s my way of taking up space in school and showing everyone ‘I am here. I am queer. I am not afraid to do me.’ It’s my way of challenging the stereotype that lesbians dress badly, that business students have no style or personality, that queer business students need to blend in. My unapologetic existence is a part of my activism. And of course, the Pride Corp lapel pin screams the pride I have in my club (all pun intended).

TT: Kelsey Chavarria, for sure. She’s very androgynous and so is her style. I love it! It’s dapper but not exactly overly formal like GQ – there is a little touch of casual/ personal style. She plays with details in her outfits and I really appreciate it when people take time to focus on the small things. (Spoken like a true small person?) I’d call her style hipster dapper, but I’m not sure how people feel about the word hipster anymore. The internet is a great resource. I used to spend a lot of time on Tumblr and I follow a bunch of submission blogs, so I guess you could say some of my style is inspired by queers around the world! I also Google variations of ‘queer dapper fashion’ or ‘androgynous fashion’ and see what pops up. I think that’s how I first found out about dapperQ awhile back.

GR: Tell us something unique about yourself or your style? 

TT: Boy’s clothes and contrast!

Sometimes I feel like a 15 year old boy; people often mistake me for one, anyway. My favourite shirts are patterned button-ups and pants that sometimes make me look even more like a little boy – they have sharks, whales, and cute little monsters on them. I’d say about 70% of my clothes are from the children’s (sale) section; mostly because they are so much cheaper, but also because I am a perfect fit for 10/12 in boys. I get my clothes from everywhere (around the world), but my favourite stores are: The Children’s Place, Zara boys, Gap Kids.

I like to coordinate my outfit with a little contrast – mostly accessories and colors, but sometimes shoes. I usually would have an item stand out against the rest of the outfit. So if I’m in all formal wear, sometimes I put on a snapback or a bow-tie to change it up a little. Or a piece of bright orange with an otherwise all black outfit (which I call my OITNB outfit). I also really like the wooden bow-tie my best friend gave me; I wear it when I feel special. There was a time I was obsessed with chains as well – it seems like neck/top torso accessories are a common trend!

Follow Teri:
about.me/tanteri
instagram: @ziddy10
twitter: @teritanteehee
tumblr: turneverythingrandomin.tumblr.com
facebook: facebook.com/teritanteehee

Photography credit:
Carol Ourivio — www.facebook.com/carolmilkshake

The post Style Dossier: Teri Tan, dapperQ of the Month appeared first on dapperQ.

Note: CorporateQ is a series that focuses upon how masculine presenting gender queers are bringing their dapper selves to the workplace.

Expectations about how to dress for a corporate gig almost kept Nancy Blaine out of publishing. But a love of books helped her press through to a career that has garnered accolades including “Editor of the Year” from Houghton Mifflin. In this interview with dapperQ Founder Susan Herr, Nancy talks about the intersection between fashion, career and gender identity.

Susan Herr: Buddy! It was at your house in New Hampshire that I came up with the idea for this website and the name: dapperQ. I think I know you pretty well, but I’m eager to use this article as an excuse to learn even more about you.  

Nancy Blaine: I remember the morning you came downstairs and described it to us. Proud of you, Bud.

SH: Will you start by telling me how long you have identified as a dapperQ?

NB: The first time I got taken in to the men’s department, it was with an ex-girlfriend. I was about 31. Until then, I had been wearing female clothing that had a men’s look.  I remember it was a revelation. It was the first time I felt finally comfortable in clothes. So that is 23 years I’ve been dressing in men’s clothes. I buy clothes exclusively in the men’s department.

SH: That ex was Rebecca Cole, star of one of the first interior design reality shows on TV. It was called Surprise by Design. Did she just escort you in to the men’s department and leave you or did she stick around to provide a few suggestions about what you should buy?

NB: She did stick around but in the clothing area she always let me have my way—not so with furniture and wall colors. I can’t remember if the first time was the Barney’s Warehouse Sale that became my annual suit shop. I liked it because it was so chaotic you could be a little anonymous. My early suits were a bit ill-fitting. It took me awhile to negotiate the sizes and get a jacket that really fit.

SH: Can you remember any particularly bad outfits you sported prior to that time?

NB: I cringe at some of the things I wore before that. By far the worst was a forest green full-length prom dress with dark brown platform shoes. I looked like a tree. No wonder I drank a bottle of Manischevitz Cherry before I went in. No wonder I threw up most of the night and the next day. Things got better for me in the 80’s when I moved to New York and could be androgynous in leggings, combat boots and a motorcycle jacket (thank you Madonna—for so many things.) It was the 90’s when I started buying men’s clothes exclusively and found a style I could really relax into.

When I look back on my career now, I am grateful that I had to learn how to dress. I would’ve just stuck with jeans and t-shirts if I didn’t actually have to dress up for work. It took a long time to find a style for myself that is corporate but not traditionally corporate.

SH: So tell about your career.

NB: I work in higher ed publishing which I’ve done since I was 29; that’s 26 years now. I’ve been an acquisitions editor in multiple disciplines—Anthropology, History, English and now Engineering. It’s been a great career and I’ve learned a lot—about business and about each discipline. It’s a “soft” corporate world. It’s a little leftie and everyone is quite open-minded. But it is still hetero-centric. And although there are a lot of women in publishing, the majority of people at the top are men.

SH: What kind of representation is there among LGBT and gender nonconforming folks?

NB: For a corporate industry, there are a lot of queers. In my industry I would say I dress more radically than most of the lesbians. I always wear men’s suits. I always wear a white t-shirt and an open collar. Still, the two things I never wear at work are a tie or a man’s hat. For me, those items would put me across a line. I know it is homophobia (internal and external). I know it is my own need to (at least) slightly conform. I imagine that will change for me as the world gets more trans progressive.

Photo by Ryan Kipp

SH: When I asked you to do this interview, you said something like, “…even though I don’t wear a tie?” Which is, of course, why I think your perspective is so important. We are seeing a generation of younger genderqueers who aren’t only out and proud in their social life but who are demanding the ability to bring that pride in to the workplace by wearing outfits that may be considered gender nonconforming. Like you, I often feel like maybe I’m not being bold enough, or like internalized homophobia is something I have to confront and root out. But I think I’d be doing a disservice to anyone reading dapperQ if I didn’t regularly acknowledge the fact that how we present is a deeply personal calculus with very real implications.

NB: So true. Unfortunately I still think there are a lot of judgments being made based on appearance. I have been called out on the street for how I look. At times I have felt unsafe. I am consistently called “sir” and I am often told I am in the wrong bathroom. So that level of being called out has caused me some discomfort. I try to be true to myself but I don’t push the envelope.

Although I acknowledge there is some internalized homophobia, I also think there is still plenty of real homophobia—even in a fairly open minded workplace. If I’m in an interview or trying to sign an author, I have to ask myself, could being in a man’s suit and tie have an impact on their decision? I think it could. That is the area where I am cautious.

But I also long for a world where it will no longer make that impact. I was recently in a restaurant on Park Ave in the 20’s and there was a gender-free bathroom with private stalls inside. It was another revelation. I loved it. But I have a straight friend who was with me who chose to wait until she got back to the hotel.

SH: You’ve apparently walked the line pretty successfully. And you’ve been able to have real impact. I remember when Houghton Mifflin named you “editor of the Year. ”  

NB: Higher Ed Editor of the Year. It’s an accomplishment but it’s not NY Times worthy. I’d like to think I have had an impact in educational publishing. In my 20’s, I would say that clothing almost kept me out of the business. I thought I should be a taxi driver or have some other career where I could just wear jeans. Fortunately, I had a strong enough interest in books that I pressed on.

SH: If you had made that choice, as so many of our brethren undoubtedly have, Corporate American would have lost top talent. But let me ask you about masculine privilege. Do you ever feel like part of your success comes from the masculine ways in which you may act, ways that are privileged in our society? And if so, how do you think about that?

NB: I never, ever consider myself as having masculine privilege. I have certainly developed confidence as an editor, but so have many women in my field who are not butch. If anything, I’ve always felt that being a butch put me just outside of the inner circle but maybe I’m just being paranoid.

SH: Us, paranoid?  Okay, I want to ask one last question.   You were suited up from dapperQ’s recent (Un)Heeled event. How did it make you feel about the choices you’ve made and the ways that you have prioritized authenticity?

NB: I had so much pride. I felt like, oh my God, here we are at the edge of the fashion world. It’s never where lesbians have been despite the fact that gay men have been there a long, long time. And so to see these people looking so great…different shapes, colors, genders–it was a revelation—my third in just this interview! Being butch is such an interesting mix on the gender scale; to choose to remain a woman but to have masculine internal feelings and masculine external expression. To not fit the binary and to outwardly express mixed gender. My partner Kate, who is definitely a femme, chose to wear a tie and jacket. She looked fashionable and could pass as straight while I just looked like a butch. But it was a night for us! There was a time when I had so much confusion about being a butch. It is such a pleasure to now revel in it—epitomized by that night at the museum.

SH: You’re a silver fox and I love ya. Thanks for making time for this and thanks for blazing trails…

The post CorporateQ: Higher-Education Textbook Publishing (NYC) appeared first on dapperQ.

I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again: The devil is in the details. Accessories make the outfit. A t-shirt and jeans paired with the right jewelry can look effortlessly stylish.  It’s all in how you style the look.

Enter Mister. I first stumbled upon this “men’s” accessory brand on Instagram. And, while I’m not a big fan of their gendered online departments (there’s a special “For Her” corner of their site, as if their designs do not transcend gender — come on Mister!!!), I really love the design of Mister’s products and that the brand is making hip, stylish accessories a bit more affordable. (You can find rings starting at $28 and bracelets as low at $22.) Check out some of what they have to offer, pick up a few items, and hell, while you’re at it, drop them a line to let them know that their gender-neutral items could be advertised to a wider market!

Mister:
Website
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram: @MISTERSFC

The post Masculine Accessories by Mister appeared first on dapperQ.

Moscow stylist and designer Natalie Lyutrovnik is a dapperQ whose fascination with leather inspired Lyutrovnik’s brand Pleathure, which specializes in minimalist bags and accessories handmade from natural leather. Pleathure shared with us some of their designs from their latest lookbooks:

Want more? Check out Peathure on Facebook, Tumblr, and Instagram. To purchase, visit their website here.

The post Pleathure Minimalist Handmade Leather Goods appeared first on dapperQ.

As one of the major hubs of East Asia, Taiwan has enough culture and beauty packed onto a small island that you could easily spend either a long weekend or your entire life exploring. I moved to Taipei in September of 2014 with my fiancé and, as an avid traveler and queer woman with a masculine style, I haven’t stopped falling in love with the city.

For starters, the food in Taipei is out of control in the best way. There is a thriving local night market scene and endless boutique restaurants and cafes that line every alley in this densely packed city. As a vegetarian, I’ve had no trouble finding delicious food absolutely everywhere, and if you feel like you could become a fan of pineapple ice cream spring rolls with peanuts and cilantro, you should make your way to Taiwan immediately.

Ice cream spring roll

I’ve been happy to discover that Taiwan has an incredibly open and visible queer community—I went to Taiwan’s Pride event in October, which is the largest in Asia—and along with the positive local queer presence comes some crazy cool masculine styles, from street to dapper to straight from the future. There is unbelievable shopping for the masculine-of-center individual of almost any shape and size, and with any budget.

Taipei Pride attendees

Taiwan is located just Southeast of China and it’s a quick hop from Taipei to Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines and a handful of other worthwhile places. For the dapperQ who wants to make a pass at Asia, Taiwan is a can’t-miss and, though you could spend years here, I’d like to propose a 48-hour weekend schedule that would easily fit Taipei into a jaunt around the region.

Quick Tips

1) The currency in Taiwan is the New Taiwan Dollar (NT) and the exchange rate hovers around $30NT to $1US, so be prepared to pull thousands out of the ATM and, if you’re like me, feel like a total baller for a little while.

2) The public transportation in Taipei is incredible. The MRT is the local subway system. It’s clean and efficient, and the cheapest way to get anywhere in the city. I recommend getting an MRT card right away and putting a few hundred NT on it so that you don’t have to worry about it for the remainder of your trip.

3) The national language of Taiwan is Mandarin Chinese, but don’t worry too much about the language barrier, as Taiwan is super accessible to English speakers. All major signage is in English and most people speak at least a bit of English.

Thursday Night/Friday

Coming from the States, you’ll lose an entire day in-flight (a 16-hour difference from the west coast), but there is a 12-hour direct flight from San Francisco to Taipei that will definitely reduce jetlag and the time you have to sacrifice. Just be prepared, the time-change is rough. I recommend taking a flight out on a Thursday afternoon/evening that would put you in Taipei on Friday evening/night with a reasonable amount of time to get settled in a hotel and rest. You’ll need to take a bus or taxi from the airport into the city.

Saturday

Maokong Gondolas: Maokong is in Wehshan, the southernmost district of Taipei, and is a beautiful, mountainous area known for its traditional teahouses and sweeping views of the city. From the center of Taipei (Taipei Main Station), it’s about a 30-minute MRT ride to Taipei Zoo Station where the gondolas (which are part of the MRT system) are located. Take a glass-bottom gondola up and over the mountain and enjoy the view along the way. Once you get to the top there are dozens of traditional tea houses and food carts, and some breathtaking Buddhist temples. Take a stroll and relax or venture further up one of the many hiking paths. Just be sure to stop and enjoy the clean mountain air and a pot of Tien Guan Yin tea.

View from Maokong

The Masculine Haircut of Your Dreams/Waffle Brunch: After a morning on Maokong, you could head down to Taipei 101 to check out the (formerly) tallest building in the world. It’s definitely a sight to see, but honestly, the view of the skyscraper from Maokong is better, so I’d like, instead, to recommend one of my favorite things to do on a Saturday in Taipei: get a dapper cut and have a waffle. Make your way to Zhongshan MRT station, just one stop from Main Station, and take exit R9. Here you’ll find one of the hippest areas in Taipei, with alley after alley lined with cute cafes, shops and hair salons. As a masculine presenting woman, I’ve had the most comfortable experiences of my life getting haircuts in Taipei. The pulse of the city is androgynous for much of Taipei’s Generation Y, so there’s no need to fear that same old awkward interaction. Just walk in to any of the salons along the main road (I recommend Hair Design, right outside the R9 exit), and get ready to be catered to. Generally, every salon will have someone who can speak a little English, though it may not be your stylist, so I always take a couple of photos of what I want as a backup. And the best part is, you’ll get two shampoos, a scalp and face massage, and the most meticulously hand-faded undercut of your life for 700NT (about $20). Once you’re killin’ ‘em with that cut, head a few doors down to the R9 café (or any of the other 600 cafes in the few blocks around you), and grab a fruit waffle and an iced Americano. I promise, it’ll make your day.

Post haircut waffles at R9

Shida: Here’s where things get fun for the dapperQ in you. In the afternoon, head to the area around Shida night market to shop for some great local queer-friendly clothes and accessories. One of my favorite stores in the area is Love Boat, an LGBTQ shop that boasts everything from jewelry and binders to queer tarot readings and holistic healing essentials. Love Boat particularly caters to slim/petite dapperQs who might find it difficult to get properly fitting masculine clothes without them being baggy in all the wrong places. After you get yourself outfitted, head around the corner to Witch House, a killer feminist café decorated with bras, and then to GinGin Books, one of the largest LGBTQ stores in Asia.

Ximending/Historic Red House: Once the sun has set and you’re feeling frisky, it’s time to make your way to Ximending night market and the Historic Red House area for some out-of-this-world food and a great cluster of LGBTQ-friendly bars, clubs and restaurants. Ximending is a large, pedestrian night market that will be swarming with thousands of people on a Saturday night, so be patient and make your way into the middle of it. There are delicious food and shopping stalls everywhere you look, so have some cash on hand and go crazy. I particularly recommend the scallion pancake with egg, the ice cream spring roll and, for the meat-eaters out there, leave room for famous Hot Star Large Fried Chicken and the oyster noodles at Ah Chung Mee Sua. As for the shopping, keep your eyes peeled for some of the masculine gems of the Taipei night market scene. Everything from snapbacks and denim drop-crotch pants for a few bucks, to major print sweaters, button-downs, shoes and accessories like you’ve never seen. And a lot of it will probably be sold to you by some of the fly-est masculine-of-center shopkeepers in the city. Once you’ve had all you can take in the night market and you’re totally lost, just look for the three-story KFC and you’ll find your way out.

Hot Star Fried Chicken

Then jump across the street to the area around the Historic Red House. The Red House itself is a cool cultural center/boutique shopping/music venue worth checking out, but venture around back and you’ll spot a rainbow and find a lovely row of queer-friendly bars with a ton of patio seating and great drink specials.

Taboo: Ready for some dancing? With a huge lesbian dance party every Saturday night, Taboo is the place to be. The party doesn’t really get going until midnight, and for 500NT (about $15) you’ll get entry and an all-you-can-drink stamp. Once you’re in, grab a cup of something blue and cut up. The venue itself is fairly small and gets pretty smoky once things get going, but fighting the crowd is worth it. One of my favorite moments at Taboo was with a drunken birthday girl named Lulu who whispered in my fiancé’s ear, “I like your husband, can I dance with her?” and then dragged me to the dance floor.

Sunday

Tamsui—Sunday morning is the perfect time to hop on the MRT red line and take it all the way up to Tamsui, the sea-side district North of Taipei. Head toward the water and take a stroll up the boardwalk for insane amounts of fresh seafood, cooked every way imaginable. Grab a fried squid to nurse that all-you-can-drink feeling you’re still feeling, and soak up the sun. There are some restaurants and cafes along the way with great views of the water, and, if you’re feeling rambunctious, you can take a boat ride to the nearby fisherman’s wharf. Then, make your way to Tamsui Old Street. Push through the swarms of people and stop for some of Tamsui’s famous fish ball soup and check out one of Taipei’s beautiful and historic temples along Old Street. Tamsui is definitely worth spending a few quality hours by the water.

View from Tamsui

Me in Tamsui

Hangover cure all

Followed by a huge taro ice cream…why not?

Thermal Valley/Dihua Jie/Longshan Temple: Once you head back into town, there are a few great options along the red line worth checking out. Stop off at Xinbeitou station and follow the smell of rotten eggs (sulfur) to see some of Taipei’s beautiful natural hot springs. At Shuanglian station you’ll find Dihua Jie, one of the oldest parts of the city with a ton of shops selling spices and dried goods. You could wander for hours in this area, and if not hours, at least try the dried persimmon. Lastly, check out Longshan Temple at Longshan Temple station. The Temple was built in 1738 and it definitely offers a breathtaking and quiet moment in the middle of the bustling city.

Spices at Dihua Jie

Hot Springs

Raohe Night Market: One of the can’t-miss stops in Taipei also makes a good last stop: Raohe Night Market. This market is older and has more traditional foods, so go hungry and with an open mind. There’s a beautiful temple right at the entrance, and the pedestrian area of the market is narrow so if you go with the flow, you’ll walk one-way down and one-way back up. Now’s the time for you to face your fears and try the stinky tofu that Taiwan is famous for. It’s basically very fermented tofu, cooked in a medley of spices and often duck blood (though there are vegetarian varieties), and served all by its self. Try it. You must, and if you’re like most intrepid explorers who pass through, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Also while you’re at Raohe, have an oyster omelet and blood cake. Why not? But no matter what, just be sure to have one more ice cream spring roll for the road.

Raohe Night market

Monday

You’ve done it all. Time to move on to another one of the beautiful countries in this part of the world and keep adventuring. Or, if it’s time to go home, take an early flight, say 8am, and with the time change, you’ll be back on the on the west coast before you even left.

The post TravelQ: A dapperQ’s Guide to 48 Hours in Taipei appeared first on dapperQ.

Note: CorporateQ is a series that focuses on how masculine presenting gender queers are bringing their dapper selves to the workplace.

I was first introduced to Marcia Alvarado‘s modeling work when she made her debut as a “male” model for EMAL magazine. Just a few short months later, Marcia represented Sharpe Suiting on the runway at dapperQ’s (un)Heeled event at Brooklyn Museum. We had chatted via Facebook during the model casting, but I finally got to meet her in the flesh when she flew up from Florida to model at the event. It was at that time that I learned that Marcia was also a successful engineer. Curious about how Marcia so brilliantly negotiates two very cis male dominated fields (engineering and male modeling), I sat down with her to discuss if and how her fashion impacts her career. Presented with this interview are images from Marcia’s most recent fashion editorial shot by photographer Sophia Renee and styled by Tristan Richards.

Anita Dolce Vita: I noticed that you have an impeccable sense of style even when you’re not modeling. How long have you been dressing dapperQ?

Marcia Alvarado: When I graduated college and moved to NYC to work as a structural engineer, I struggled like most entry level professionals. (I think I moved to NYC with only one weeks’ worth of dress clothes.) I got a second job at Banana Republic on 5th Ave and started learning things about fashion – like, at the time, no pleated pants were cool. I started to really see the style difference on the streets of NYC. I noticed that perception goes along way.

ADV: How would you describe your aesthetic?

MA: I guess I would say that my style is clean and sophisticated. But, currently getting into the modeling industry, I am trying new things and taking risks here and there. Ideally, I love to dress up and portray a sense of confidence that elevates your game.

ADV: Prior to meeting you in person, I had only known you as a menswear model. But, you are also an engineer. Tell me about where you work and how that influences how you dress for work?

MA: I am a licensed engineer in Florida as well in New York. I have been working in the engineering industry for about 10 years now. I work at Atkins; not the diet company, but a full service engineering and design firm with over 18,000 employees worldwide. I work in the Architecture group as a Senior Structural Engineer, designing buildings mainly for the Federal and Aviation markets. Starting my career in NYC definitely set style standards for me. All the men wore ties to the office and the more that I walked on 5th Ave between my engineering office and my second job at the Banana Republic store, the more I learned that looking professional was half the recipe for success. People take you more seriously, and I firmly believe that you perform better, when you dress the part. So, I learned that dressing well was a form of good manners. Project managers and clients thought I had more experience than I actually had because of the way that I presented myself to them.

Now, back in Florida, working here is a little different. It’s not cool to overdress for your clients. So, now I’m more conscious about what I wear; because wearing a 3-piece-suit to a meeting when the client is wearing jeans and a polo is not setting a great first impression. But, my colleagues know that I do like to dress up and they give me respect for it. Sometimes other employees elevate their fashion and wardrobe because of my influence, and I think that is awesome.

ADV: You definitely know how to step up the suit and tie game, garnering respect from your clients and inspiring your colleagues. On the flip side of that, have you ever had any negative experiences because you dress masculine?

MA: Honestly, I believe that I have been very lucky in that people have been very accepting of my lifestyle. Usually, I will get some clients that don’t really get it. They just assume that I am a guy and when my colleagues refer to me as “she,” the clients either get really confused or figure it out. They’re like, “OHHH,” and then try to apologize. I don’t like to correct people in the beginning because it usually puts them in an uncomfortable position and that is the last thing I want to do. Especially if you are there to serve them in some way (engineering services). Once people get to know me, I generally have a very outgoing personality and then they are really able to see ME for who I am and not just my garments. I believe that I was made this way for a reason.

ADV: But, you do have to play a bit of a political game about your appearance in so much as you don’t want to make people feel uncomfortable by correcting them about your gender.

MA: That is correct. I try to not be as overbearing, like with a tie on the first day. Maybe I’ll wear a suit with an open dress shirt to start. I understand how I present myself to the world, and that people will not necessarily understand initially… or ever. I just try to give them more of ME first, because ultimately, I am the one providing the services that they want and need.

ADV: What do you think it is about the “tie” that pushes people over the edge?

MA: That is a really good question. I feel like it’s the polishing item that tells people I am 100% comfortable in what I’m wearing. My first impression to conservatives is a hard sell, especially if I were to wear a tie. I feel like it will draw too much attention to myself and all the questions in their head and, therefore, they will not listen to what I actually have to say. Once the client trusts me and is confident in my work, I will wear my usual suit and tie, if the occasion calls for it and then the client doesn’t get distracted.

ADV: Engineering is primarily a masculine, cis male dominated field. Do you feel that you gain an edge by dressing masculine, rather than dressing feminine, even if you do identify as a woman?

MA: Hell Yeah!!!! For the obvious reasons that we just talked about. What the eyes see, the mind believes. I think that once people realize who I am, I gain much more respect for just doing things my own way. And, that also has served me well: providing inspiration to other LGBT people in my industry to be themselves and not fit the mold that even the Construction industry, which we work closely with, may force on them.

ADV: Now, you’re also a menswear model, which, like engineering, is a cis male dominated field. How have you been received in the industry?

MA: I have been very well received because most people in the industry coming across my photos are sincerely convinced. Photographers are intrigued and want to work with me even more. Female models applaud my efforts and love working with me. Male models are just as accepting and there is not any form of competition. Men applaud me for dressing as dapper as I do. That is what the industry has been most appreciative of: my professionalism and how serious I am. No one in the industry has told me that I couldn’t do this and that has been so encouraging to move forward.

ADV: Given that your job as a model is to wear menswear and wear it well, do you feel more comfortable presenting masculine in the modeling industry than you do in your engineering job? Are you more likely to wear that tie?

MA: Ummm, I would say yes. But, believe me, most of the time, when I dress for my engineering job, I am wearing exactly what I want. You would be surprised that wearing the masculine clothes is easier to me with engineering than modeling. Modeling is much harder because of the acting that goes on in front of the camera. When I’m wearing my clothing for engineering work, I get to just be me. For modeling, it’s acting in a way that is supernatural; I have to embody a character that people will get inspired by or feel some sort of emotion about. That is not easy, for any model.

ADV: Professional attire communicates a lot and first impressions are everything. But, at the end of the day, in engineering you want your client to focus on your engineering deliverables. What is it like to toggle between a job where you want people to look beyond your appearance and a job where appearance is everything?

MA: Regardless of the industry, I have tried to provide people with my characteristics that are appealing to their needs. In engineering, I want people to look beyond my appearance; but at the end of the day, I want people to see my true self. My words, my emotions, my kindness, my personality. Same goes for modeling. I really don’t see a difference in how I approach each industry. I am just Marcia and that is what I want to be know for: unique and incomparable to any other person.

ADV: What can our readers expect next from you?

MA: I believe that I will be making a more serious attempt to become a working male model in the industry, whether it’s commercial, television, or print work. I will be focusing more on building the strongest portfolio I can to eventually get signed by an agency that will understand my goals and work with me to start a career in the fashion industry. Along the way, I will continue to tell my story and help people to understand that each person is unique in their own way. Just because I dress masculine does not necessarily mean that I want to transition from a female to male. However, others may feel different and that is the uniqueness about our world. There is a large spectrum. What the internet and media tend to focus on are selected groups or categories that they put people in, limiting each individual’s ideas and lifestyles. I love that some people cannot put me in a particular group or classification. Expect that I will always be true to myself! Again, thank you soooo much for your help with all of this. Your knowledge and willingness to share has been a blessing.

ADV: Thank you Marcia! You are an inspiration to us all. Best of luck in all of your future endeavors.

Want more of Marcia Alvarado? Visit her online portfolio at www.thealvaradoexperience.com or book her by e-mailing malvarado0828@gmail.com

The post CorporateQ: Marcia Alvarado Negotiates the Cis Male Dominated Worlds of Engineering and Menswear Modeling appeared first on dapperQ.