By Claire Allison McGuire
Queer history is the blood in the veins of modern day fashion. The queer liberation movement, specifically in the realm of clothing and self-expression, has influenced modern fashion trends and popular culture immensely. This movement has made its way to the College of Wooster campus. The Sexuality and Gender Inclusion (SGI) Office hosted a Queer Fashion Show on Sept. 23, offering students of varying sexualities and identities the opportunity to immerse themselves in an accepting community and express themselves freely.
It all started with the queer clothing closet, where students can find gender affirming outfits they would not have access to otherwise.
“A lot of it is logistical; students, especially trans students, often need clothes that don’t align with their assumed gender,” said Jake Marion, director of SGI. “Shopping for that in public is sometimes scary, so having a space for them to do it that is directly supported by the community is really affirming. All the clothes down there have either been donated by other students, staff or faculty — folks that have given them intentionally for this purpose. Also for folks to explore and express their identities, giving them a space to do that is important, and having new clothes is always fun.”
On Saturday, the stage was open for all in attendance to take a moment to be cheered on and supported while wearing the clothing they felt most like themselves in.
“I, for a very long period of my life, was not able to access or be affirmed in gender-affirming fashion. I feel like people wouldn’t necessarily expect to see a green velvet jumpsuit and eyeshadow to be like ‘boy,’ but to me, it is,” Clark shared. “To be able to go on stage and see everyone wave their flags at me felt very affirming.”
Another student, Sam de los Reyes ’27, shared their experience as a first-year student attending the event. “It felt great to walk in the show. It’s great to be able to wear a skirt and dress up. It was a great way to dip my toes into the queer culture on campus.”
Sexuality and Gender Inclusion intern, Pras Subedi ’27 explains it best: “It’s a way for a lot of people with non-normative identities to express themselves in ways that a lot of people don’t get the privilege to do and I think having a literal stage for people to express themselves however they’d like is so special.”
Hannah Reikowsky, SGI Program Director, explains the fashion show as being “born out of watching students take clothing from the queer clothing closet and leaving clothes that aren’t as affirming, giving a chance for students to be able to showcase their personal style and what queer fashion means to them.”
This event marks an important step in queer acceptance and community on campus, but the queer clothing closet allows for acceptance and inclusion to be celebrated everyday.
“If folks have anything they want to donate or need anything, they can just let us know. If they have swipe access to the Q Space [located in the basement of Compton], they don’t need to wait for the queer clothing closet events, it’s always available. Everything is free. Just come and get what you need,” Marion added.
After the show, the space remained open, accompanied by backdrops for photos, music and a welcoming environment to develop a sense of community among queer students. While this event is over, the SGI has plans for future events.
“October is LGTBQ+ history month, so folks should keep an eye out for the whole list of events that SGI is planning for next month,” Reikowsky noted. “If any students need support, we are located on the top floor of Lowry; our offices are connected to the CDI suite, in Lowry 224. During business hours, 9 to 5, students can come if they need anything or need to talk to us. We have resources available and we have some on our website as well.”