The Genderless Gowns

I’m not a friend of trends, never have been. People often just jump onto the band wagon mistaking a movement for a trend. Money-making trends very often disappear. Movements want to achieve a deep shift and change in society. Drag is very much mistaken for a ‘trend’ in the mainstream. People enjoy it on stage or on television as a performance, ignoring the rich and diverse underground drag scene, ignoring that drag wants to open our eyes that gender is a construct and therefore intersects with all gender identities. Drag is not only a stage performance by cis man. I really wanted to shoot these gorgeous dresses on two non-binary people that I knew would look amazing in them. We had to stop the photo shooting right after we had just begun. And it proved my point right there. AMAB bodies in drag - yes, AMAB bodies just in dresses - no. Trans and non binary femmes - no. Drag queens as a trend doesn't solve our problem of deeply ingrained misogyny. Drag queens as a trend doesn't make life any safer for femme presenting trans and non-binary folks. And an AMAB body would not be booked to advertise these dresses unless they meet the same beauty standards as an AFAB high fashion model. It's the sad truth. I’m so glad I had two amazing humans modelling two equally amazing creations that were not made with them in mind. Let’s do everything to change that for the future and everything underlying that comes with it. August 2019, Exclusively for Louche Mag online, Art Direction/Photography by Henri T, Talents: Kyle Mooney and Shakona Fire, Photo Assistant: Re Shehata, Styling Assistance Prinx Lydia, Make Up Khandiz Joni