Happy Pride
We invited three LGBTQIA+ activists to put their pride on display in White + Warren as part of this year’s Pride campaign.
The Campaign
To us, Pride Month is all about raising cultural awareness, advocacy, and support for the LGBTQIA+ community. That’s why this year, we partnered with the Phluid Phoundation to feature three activists paving the way for future generations.
The Mission
The centerpiece of our Pride Shop collection is the Cashmere Happy Sweatshirt, together with colorful knits that benefit the Phluid Phoundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering and improving the lives of those in the LGBTQIA+ community.
The Stars
To celebrate respect, love, and authentic expression, our campaign stars make their favorite styles from the Pride Shop their own.
Model | Public Speaker| GET Phluid Educator
What drew you to get involved with GET Phluid?
Everything that we need to do as queer people, especially if we want to make change in the world, it happens through education. Through another non-profit, I was teaching a queer-inclusive sex education course for kids. Three years into doing that, I made a connection which allowed me to speak at different colleges and universities on the same subject matter, but in a more mature setting. GET Phluid seemed like the next natural step.
How has it been different in educating companies about LGBTQIA+ inclusion through GET Phluid?
Adult minds are not as impressionable as young minds are. The other thing is that I have to think about how education relates to their business. I choose to detail the business incentives that come as a result of fostering an inclusive work environment and inclusive brand messaging that allows any and all buyers to feel welcome spending their dollar.
Was there a specific event, or series of events, that prompted you to become an activist?
I was on America’s Top Model and what happened was I didn’t get the success that I thought I would after the show. But what was magical [was that] I was able to connect with all these queer people around the world who saw me on their TV screens. It was a crash course in how education really does change the world.
What are some of the greatest misunderstandings that the general public has about the LGBTQIA+ community?
There are those of us who think that queerness is a threat to hetero norms. The ability and desire to procreate is a beautiful thing that our human existence relies upon, so why would we set out to stop hetero families from being common practice?
What does “Happy Pride” mean to you?
It’s like a quick nod and a salute to how far we’ve come. We celebrate Pride to say, “Hey, through everything, we’re still here and we’re as beautiful as ever.”
Do you feel that it’s important to have the freedom to express yourself through fashion as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community?
It’s absolutely important. Isn’t it how we communicate without saying anything? You can say so much about yourself by what you choose to wear.
Athlete Ally Development Manager | GET Phluid Educator
How is your work at GET Phluid similar or different from your work at Athlete Ally?
GET Phluid aims to educate people about how they can be more inclusive in the workplace and in social settings, specifically for transgender and gender nonconforming people. Athlete Ally’s mission is to end homophobia and transphobia in sports. So there’s a lot of overlap between the work I am doing for both organizations.
What drew you to get involved?
I’m transgender so I have a personal investment in wanting to help the community. I came out three years ago, so I am a relatively new member of the LGBTQIA+ community. I saw a need as a transgender person for representation, and from the community, a need to educate people about the transgender experience. I thought it was important to work in this space to create more awareness so that we can be accepted, and people can understand we’re just like everyone else.
What issues affecting the LGBTQIA+ community are particularly on your mind these days?
Transgender inclusion in sports. I am an athlete and I want to compete in sports. I am not a man, so it doesn’t make sense for me to compete in the men’s category, and my participation in the women’s category is extremely polarizing. It’s the subject of a huge national debate and Athlete Ally is at the forefront of education surrounding these issues of trans inclusion in sports.
What does “Happy Pride” mean to you?
It means acknowledging that each of us unique and it’s about celebrating our unique differences. I want to live authentically, and I want to live free of judgement, so I try to not judge other people and just allow other people to be themselves.
How are you celebrating Pride Month?
I did go to my first Pride parade a few weeks ago. I am hoping to go to another one this weekend. This year is my first real Pride experience and it’s so beautiful to see all the flags in every town I drive through.
QueerCare Founder
Can you give us some background as to how you founded QueerCare?
When I lost my job in the pandemic, I decided to go back to school. I wanted to become a surgeon. In researching medical schools, one of the requirements was community service and volunteering. Because it was the pandemic, it was very hard to enter spaces in which I could volunteer. I decided to start my own project, the project being QueerCare in 2021. QueerCare offers free postoperative services for LGBTQ+ individuals following medical procedures.
Was it word-of-mouth, initially, how people came to hear of QueerCare?
It started over an Instagram post saying: “Hey, if you want to help transgender people postoperatively following gender-affirming surgery, let me know.” I think I had 200 people in a month sign up. Initially, I think everyone was on their phone in the pandemic. Now, I think a lot of hospitals, insurance companies, social workers, and community members refer us.
What does “Happy Pride” mean to you?
It’s a reminder to respect those who came before us, who fought for the freedoms and rights that my community share today, and to push to build a better world for the people coming after us.
As a trans woman, do you feel like fashion has been a positive outlet for you to express yourself and be celebrated for who you are? And has it changed?
I didn’t feel safe in stores when I first started to transition. Looking in the women’s section, I would get a lot of stares. And so, I would buy all the clothes at once and return the ones that didn’t fit. Now, it’s pretty fine wherever.
Do you feel that it’s important to have the freedom to express yourself through fashion as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community?
I think it’s important to everybody wherever they are in the world to wear whatever they want in any situation.