Most people hear fashion and think of big-name brands, stylish clothes, models, runways and fashion influencers. But that is not the case anymore, the world of fashion and politics are beginning to intersect in ways that can cause change especially for those living on the fringes of society. 27-year-old Ariet Honest is an entertainer living in Lagos, Nigeria. Her presentation and style are so ambiguous it not only challenges the notion of what a woman is supposed to look like but rejects the binary construct of gender that stipulates masculine and feminine roles in a bid to box and control bodies. For Ariet clothes are an embodiment of a person’s mind and the essence of their being. “Clothes are a temporary home for my soul and a number of things ranging from my mood to my political views have a heavy influence on my style” she says. Ariet is just one of many Nigerians who are finding freedom through clothing.
In Nigeria there are laws which police gender expression and in some parts of the country it is an offence punishable with a three-year prison term for a person to wear clothes not normalised for their assumed gender. For a lot of queer Nigerians fashion is an essential form of expression that speaks volume of their identity. However, the ongoing restriction of style and clothing to a binary framework means that queer folks are constantly harassed by police officers and fellow citizens because of how they present. “In Nigeria not a lot of people, especially the older generation understand clothes as a means of expression so whenever I go out. I get a lot of stares from people who are sometimes amazed, and other times irritated by how I look.” says Ariet. “Sometimes I get harassed by the police. When this happens, they try to justify the harassment because of how I look, but the problem is not my clothes. I am young and nonconforming and these days that has become a crime.” she adds.
The country’s restrictive laws have led queer Nigerians to politicise self-presentation by using simple pieces of clothing as an act of protest and a tool for political activism. And in support, young queer designers and stylists have begun furthering not just the idea of freedom of choice in dressing but the idea of clothes as non-gendered by creating gender neutral and inclusive fashion. Kanaan, a 26-year-old trans man, who got drawn to the world of clothes as early as the age of five because he lived with an aunty who was a tailor is one of these designers. His brand -Vangei has been running since 2018 and is aimed at revolutionising androgynous fashion. Kanaan says the decision to start designing genderless clothes came from a place of necessity. “Having to shop from either the men or women’s section became frustrating as both hardly ever fit my needs and style, so I built my brand as a solution for non-binary and gender nonconforming folks who faced a similar challenge. My clients tell me what they want, and I create exactly that.”
Fashion has become a collaborative effort that expresses the emotions and attitude of both the person who creates it and the person who wears it. Eze a nonbinary fashion designer in Ebonyi, Nigeria runs a clothing brand called Oil Money Apparel that caters to the clothing needs of studs, gender queer folks and trans masculine people. He says his clients guide his creative process. “I think my clients are the active ingredient for my designs. They already transcend the gender binary, so all I do is replicate an image of them with clothes. I study their pictures and interact with them to understand their style and what cuts, colours or patterns work with their identity.”
The intersection of fashion and political activism is complicated because of debates on whether clothes are powerful enough to cause change or merely performative. However, if the everyday wardrobe of a community serves as a symbol for a greater cause or is an expression of solidarity or displays the values a person aligns with, it becomes more than a fashion statement but an unspoken act of resistance and dissent. For instance, in 2020 when Nigerian feminists spoke on twitter against the rising cases of violence against gender minorities in the country, they were taunted and called witches by men who reap the spoils of patriarchy. In response ArtxJuju, a queer owned Afrocentric clothing brand made a batch of slogan T-shirts which said “Member- Feminist Coven.” Many women bought these shirts as a way to reclaim what was meant as an insult and ArtxJuju donated a percentage of the profit from sales of these shirts to organizations that provide support to survivors of rape and sexual assault. When women wore these T-shirts at protest marches against gender-based violence, it was no longer just a piece of clothing. Similarly at the 2020 #EndSars protest that saw a lot of Nigerians out in the streets protesting police brutality, many protesters co-ordinated the colours of their jeans and wore T-shirts with the slogan; “Buhari has been a bad boy” a bold statement about the bad governance of Nigeria’s president Muhammed Buhari.
While protesting through fashion is both exciting and inspiring, it can also be challenging and come with added risk for those who do so. Consequently, some queer designers are maximizing the tiniest details in a bid to start conversations. From T-shirts with phrases like “Ask me about my Pronouns” to “Do not Misgender Me” or even one as simple as “No means No”, these designers are expressing dissent and raising awareness on important topics. In 2021, as part of a project for pride month, Eze designed some T-shirts for members of the queer community. The shirts had rainbow tones, and inscriptions that spoke to community members. “When I was designing the graphics for the shirts, I knew I had to protect the people who would be wearing them. The inscription on the shirt read, ‘Pas Une Phase’ which translates to ‘Not A Phase’. My message was affirming to those who wore the shirt but was hidden in plain sight so as not to put them in immediate danger.” Eze says.
For queer Nigerian designers, the world of fashion and styling is not just the commodification of clothes but an instrument of individual expression, rebellion and change. It is how they as part of an underrepresented minority tell their stories. It is a quiet form of protest for queer folks demanding to be seen and heard. Kanaan, Eze and the people who wear their designs are around ages 20-37 and come from all walks of life. When asked the question, what does your presentation mean to you? They had this to say:
“When I was younger, clothes served as an escape. I did not like the world around me, so I started playing dress up. I would dress up like a boy and it would make me happy. I could dress up as whatever I wanted and escape into a different reality. Clothes were also the easiest tool for me to rebel and question authority. For instance, in school, they had different dress codes for boys and girls, sometimes they would prevent girls from wearing certain colours or shorts and trousers, but I would show up in denim shorts regardless. As a child I was rebelling with clothes to make a point and now that I am a designer, I have the freedom to express myself with colours, patterns and shapes.”- Kanaan, Founder Vangei
“I struggled in my early years with clothing and styles I was not comfortable with and now that I am able to dress the way that I love to, I realise that fashion is not just about clothes. We are different people with different stories and completely different perspectives of life. Fashion is how I carry myself and my stories. It is freedom.” – Izzie Ekong, Social Media Strategist
“Experimenting with my clothes gives me life. I am my freest and most confident self when I am able to wear what I want.” – Alexandra Maduagwu, Human Rights Associate
“For me and my clients our decision to wear what we want even when it is not the norm is an act of protest. We know we are a minority; we know there will be disapproval, we know there are people that would try to force us back to society’s acceptable standard of presentation, but we choose to express ourselves in our truest form. This is an act of resistance.” Eze – Founder, Oil Money Apparel.
