Is society ready for gender neutral clothing?
By Dinema Mate
Let’s talk about that dress, man-gown, tux-dress whatever you want to call it, let’s have a conversation about it. I am referencing what American actor Billy Potter wore at the 2019 Oscars.
Are we ready to see men wearing gowns? Not only is that a dress, but that is a Disney princess, finding your prince charming at the stroke of midnight Cinderella gown. Is society ready for it? And I will go one step further, and say it, because I can say this as a black woman without risking a lawsuit. Are we ready to see black men in finding your prince charming ball gowns?
Excuse my ignorance but when I think about gender neutral clothing, I think in terms of having clothing made in sizes for any body type, going beyond the male or female body form. Is society going in a direction where I could expect to find a pink and blue tux-dress in the little boy’s section in a department store? And if that is the direction we are going, why are we not talking about it? Why wait until decisions have to be made based on guilt or executive decisions pushed in parliament? How will these changes affect the rest of us? Are we being prepared for the direction the world is going? Will I be able to explain to my future children these changes that are taking place, and prepare them without confusing or putting prejudice in their young minds? Do I understand all the different terms that are thrown around when gender is discussed? There is homosexual, heterosexual, gay, bi-sexual, transvestite, gender-queer, queer, androgynous… just to name a few. Am I being educated to make an informed decision when I decide to take my stand?
Consecutive research has proved that boys are socialized differently than girls. They are socialized into masculine, superior and definitely to shy away from anything remotely feminine. Now, I am confused, that is a man with beard on his face and is wearing a dress. That is my prince charming who is supposed to come find me, and now he is wearing my gown? My point is the LGBTQ community is changing and evolving, but the rest of us are not being educated. We are getting confused and that is a very dangerous place to be. Let’s start talking about this.