From sizing restrictions to the unsafe spaces of the shopping experience, D Wang Zhao, a senior in the Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design, says there are several ways the current fashion industry does not adequately serve those who are gender non-binary.
Clothes are often divided into gendered groups like “men’s” and “women’s” sections, and sizing is also a hindrance, as clothes are cut to fit the stereotypical vision of customers’ bodies, Zhao — who identifies as gender non-binary — said.
The physical shopping experience can be difficult and dangerous as well, as dressing rooms are usually split into “women’s” and “men’s” rooms and shopping areas are often impacted by these strict divisions as well.
“What I see is this constant demonstration of femme-phobia, of like, ‘Oh, only certain people can be feminine,'” they said. “But also even when some people are feminine, we see cat-calling, because one cannot dare be feminine without warranting some unwanted attention.”
Zhao has dedicated their final months at U-M confronting this inequity through art, and has focused on creating tunable garments for gender-variant individuals, centering their efforts on what they call “the gender variant jacket,” a jacket that can be configured in different ways to offer different silhouettes.
“I was like I feel even though it is 2018, the idea of clothes that are specifically made for gender-variant people is not something which is still widely available,” Zhao said.
Outside of their senior thesis, Zhao has worked for U-M’s Sexual Assault and Prevention and Awareness Center as a volunteer and multimedia coordinator, where they design the organization’s promotional materials and brand identity.
They also have participated in direct advocacy efforts, such as speaking at the 2018 Martin Luther King Jr. Symposium W.M. Trotter Lecture.
After U-M, Zhao said they would like to pursue a career at the intersection of fashion design and social justice and activism.
“My big dream is somehow meshing the two together.”
