Unboxing Binate Fashion: Normalizing Nonbinary Representation in Design
Date
8-12-2020 10:05 AM
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to feature queer narratives and their relationship to fashion, design, and selfexpression; and, to identify the misrepresentation and underrepresentation of their identities within these disciplines using a theoretical framework approach. The accessibility of clothing and apparel for a fuller identity continuum has yet to fully evolve and transform fashion into an equitable platform. Past research has indicated that gender schemas are not responsibly recognized and lack social and equitable consciousness thus reinforcing anti diverse representation (Gould & Stern, 1989). This discrepancy exhorts us to embrace, acknowledge, and embody these diverse perspectives. With consideration, in this study I explore (1) how normalizing and popularizing genderless designs in fashion psychologically impact queer communities; (2) how queer representation and visibility in fashion provide accessible and equitable shopping experiences; and (3) the importance of including diverse representations in fashion. Using both qualitative and quantitative research methods, I display the narrative analysis of the participants’ disclosure to their authentic experiences regarding the industry's elements. Upon further analysis, the narratives are collectively coded and detail patterns, findings and commonalities which are then presented info-graphically.
Biographies
Anayeli Diaz-Espinosa
Major: Spanish
Anayeli Diaz-Espinosa is a senior at Portland State University majoring in Spanish with a minor in Psychology and a focus in Art. They are fascinated by the world of art and human expression —captivated by the world of creators dominated by design and instinct. Throughout their undergraduate studies, they have been a board member and cohort organizer for the grassroots organization, Brown Girl Rise; a lead educator for Ainsworth After School Enrichment Program; a peer mentor for University Studies’ Freshman Inquiry course, Human Nature; and a student programmer for La Casa Latina Multicultural Resource Center. During their time in these programs, they engaged in radical, creative and deep-rooted conversations about intersectional identities to different audiences. These discussions were presented to challenge socially constructed dynamics of power and centered around marginalized communities’ experiences or to engage communities in strengthening their connection to themselves and their identity. Their interest in working with diverse communities stems from their intersectional background and their passion in design, art and fashion culture. By questioning social norms and constructs in design, they advocate for intersectional queer identities that have been erased, tokenized and neglected in fashion.
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Eddy Jr. Alvarez
Eddy Francisco Alvarez, Jr. is an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and University Studies at Portland State University. A first-generation college student, he attended California State University, Northridge for his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Spanish, and University of California, Santa Barbara for his MA and PhD in Chicana and Chicano Studies. His creative and scholarly writings have been published in TSQ:Transgender Studies Quarterly, Journal of Lesbian Studies, Aztlan, and Revista Bilingue/Bilingual Review. Currently, he is working on a book titled Finding Sequins in the Rubble about queer Latinx Los Angeles and a mixed-genre memoir about his Cuban and Mexican family. He is ex-officio co-chair of the Association for Jotería Arts, Activism, and Scholarship (AJAAS). In the fall he will be joining the faculty of the Chicana and Chicano Studies Department at California State University, Fullerton.
Disciplines
Psychology | Spanish and Portuguese Language and Literature
Rights
© Copyright the author(s)
IN COPYRIGHT:
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
DISCLAIMER:
The purpose of this statement is to help the public understand how this Item may be used. When there is a (non-standard) License or contract that governs re-use of the associated Item, this statement only summarizes the effects of some of its terms. It is not a License, and should not be used to license your Work. To license your own Work, use a License offered at https://creativecommons.org/
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/33528
Unboxing Binate Fashion: Normalizing Nonbinary Representation in Design
The purpose of this study is to feature queer narratives and their relationship to fashion, design, and selfexpression; and, to identify the misrepresentation and underrepresentation of their identities within these disciplines using a theoretical framework approach. The accessibility of clothing and apparel for a fuller identity continuum has yet to fully evolve and transform fashion into an equitable platform. Past research has indicated that gender schemas are not responsibly recognized and lack social and equitable consciousness thus reinforcing anti diverse representation (Gould & Stern, 1989). This discrepancy exhorts us to embrace, acknowledge, and embody these diverse perspectives. With consideration, in this study I explore (1) how normalizing and popularizing genderless designs in fashion psychologically impact queer communities; (2) how queer representation and visibility in fashion provide accessible and equitable shopping experiences; and (3) the importance of including diverse representations in fashion. Using both qualitative and quantitative research methods, I display the narrative analysis of the participants’ disclosure to their authentic experiences regarding the industry's elements. Upon further analysis, the narratives are collectively coded and detail patterns, findings and commonalities which are then presented info-graphically.