“It is fucked up that we have to let (mostly nonqueer/straight, binary, heteronormative, undereducated) cis people decide about our bodies, our health, our lives and identities.” 92
How important is Pride for the trans* community? It was black and brown trans* women fighting for our rights at Stonewall Riot which is now known as Pride - there would be no Pride <strong>with</strong>out trans* people. The umbrella term of LGBTQIA+ is very controversial and there’s a lot of discrimination and transphobia amongst the so-called community. We trans*/non-binary people constantly have to validate ourselves to be seen, but not to be seen too much, we try to pass but still be visible, we want to express ourselves but be safe on the streets or public transport, we have to fight about pronouns and names <strong>with</strong> families and even queer friends. We’re scared to be outed or harmed, or even killed. We try to prove we’re trans* enough to be part of the community even though some people won’t or can’t do medical/physical transition. Non-binary people experience discrimination/misgendering/transphobia from other trans people, and there are only a few spaces to be seen and to actually feel and be safe. We have to come out to families, friends, doctors, bosses, strangers, it’s a long, humiliating and for many of us a never-ending journey. <strong>In</strong> some countries, we’re getting erased from the system, we´re held apart from medical care, we have to discuss and fight and die just to have the right to live. And we cannot even fully rely on the support of people <strong>with</strong>in the LGBTQIA+ community since there’s lots of highly under-educated and transphobic cis people who just don’t care. Pride and the support from cis people is very important, and not only when its Pride, but always. Do you think the fashion world is open enough for trans designers? I wish. It’s not just about the designers but the whole system of how the fashion world works. I wish that the fashion world was open, but transphobia, sexism, ableism, racism and patriarchy is everywhere and there are trans people (mostly (Black/PoC) trans* women) getting murdered simply for the fact that they’re trans. So how can the fashion world be open if the world is full of hate and disgust for us? <strong>In</strong> commercial fashion the cis, white, skinny, able-bodied, young model is the default. Trans*models are ok, if they look cis. I don’t even know where to start because people’s perception on what beauty is, even on what diversity is and looks like is shocking. It’s a huge industry based on heteronormative, eurocentric beauty standards, based on the exploitation of people and resources worldwide. It’s not only about trans designers. It’s about the people in high positions, decision-makers, managers, stylists, photographers, hair- and make-up artists, editors, model agents, models, retailers, and so on. Trans people are people and we are fucking everywhere but many of us don’t even get the chance to get into these positions because the system or society doesn’t let us access these spaces in a meaningful way. As a male passing, German (& German citizenship), white, young, able-bodied person <strong>with</strong> access to health care, healthy food and a great social network of supportive friends and (chosen) family I am super privileged and one of the only trans* designers I know. (Maybe the others are too shy and didn’t come out to me?) So how can the fashion world be accessible for someone <strong>with</strong> less privilege? Trans* designers are rare in the fashion world. What can we change in the system that Trans* designers are getting more support? Before medical and physical transitioning and my official name and gender marker change, I was too insecure, dysphoric and scared to be visible <strong>with</strong> my work and to put myself out there because of the constant fear of getting misgendered, 93