Each June, individuals across the United States and around the world come together to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month. While Pride may mean many things to many people, it’s often understood to be a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community’s accomplishments in the face of adversity and discrimination.
The beginning of Pride in the United States is often traced back to the Stonewall riots that occurred in the late 1960s in New York. On June 28, 1969, in Greenwich Village, police conducted a routine raid of the Stonewall Inn. This bar was popular among some of society’s most marginalized groups, including many members of the LGBTQ+ community. While raids were common at this time, unlike previous raids, the police force did not tip off the bar beforehand and arrived during the packed early morning hours. Officers roughed up patrons, confiscated bootlegged alcohol, and arrested over a dozen people for crimes like violating the state’s gender-appropriate clothing statute.
The bar’s LGBTQ+ patrons, many of whom were runaways and homeless youths, had finally had enough of unjust police aggression and social discrimination. The tipping point is rumoured to have been when an officer hit a lesbian over the head as he forced her into a police vehicle. She shouted at the crowd to act, and soon a full-blown riot with hundreds of participants began. For the next three days, these activists demanded respect and equal rights, galvanizing LGBTQ+ political activism in the public’s conscious.
Since the Stonewall riots fifty years ago, the United States has made progress in addressing the discrimination members of the LGBTQ+ community face. Some states have started offering non-binary gender markers for certain government-issued documents, while the Stonewall National Monument now encompasses the streets and sidewalks that were sites of the 1969 riot. Pride is observed each year in June, celebrating the diversity and plurality of these communities. It also brings visibility to the real issues members of the LGBTQ+ community still face, many of whom are targets of violence and hate. Pride brings awareness to the community and helps to combat that hate.
To celebrate Pride, IA&A is highlighting the diversity among those who have participated in our Exchange Visitor Program. We’re exploring what those who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community and allies experienced while participating in their exchange programs in the United States. Our intern Felix recently sat down with Nicole, an exchange visitor from Canada who interned with womenswear fashion company Tanya Taylor Designs in New York. Keep reading for more on Nicole’s experience in New York and what she learned from her exchange program!
Do you identify as someone in the LGBT+ community?
I identify as a female who is pansexual. I came out because I wanted to live my life freely and with full positivity.
Have you noticed differences between Canadian and American LGBTQ+ culture?
The LGBTQ+ culture between the two countries is fairly similar. New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles are larger metropolitan cities, which are more accepting of diversity. These cities have many LGTBQ+ friendly cafes and restaurants, that are quite fun and show a flare of creativity. Also, Pride parades vary quite differently between the United States and Canada. New York’s Pride is big, loud, and proud, while Vancouver’s Pride, hosted in my hometown, is much smaller and has a more “West Coast” approach. Vancouver's parade travels through the streets and ends with a beachside dance party with a surrounding art market and food vendors.
When did you create your clothing brand Phoexion?
I was inspired to create this brand shortly after I came out with my identity. It was at the time when I became connected to the concept of "Rising like a Phoenix," and associated this concept to spiritual growth. Similar to the metamorphosis that a butterfly undergoes. I was thinking conceptually about how the mythical Phoenix, is a bird that burns its previous body and sheds its previous skin, through which a new egg is hatched from the ashes, birthing a brand new phoenix bird. I believe that personal growth, evolution, and change are important for spirituality and in discovering your own identity. The Phoenix is what I use conceptually in my work to represent "coming out" which is typically known in LGBTQ+ culture. Currently, we need to empower that this action is an important step towards living a positive life for someone who is queer. However, I hope in the future we will no longer need to "come out" with our identities. The Phoenix is the perfect representation of your past and present self, which symbolizes acceptance, freedom, and liberation.
What guided you to its creation?
I come from a strong sculpture, painting and fine arts background. In my undergraduate studio practice, I explored the topic of sexuality and the body. Now my creative medium has taken shape through fashion. The seductive application of materials in Phoexion conjures the soul of a bird in the process of cultivating a new, stronger self, wearing its identity fashionably, and the vulnerability of self with pride; the difference between living one’s truth proudly and living in the ash darkness of a protective shell. My clothes represent a prideful armor; such as the "coat" of identity. I want my customers, to feel confident, artful and colorful when they wear my garments.
You've said that with your brand you are "creating creative clothing to support the LGBTQ+ community." Why is this important to you?
I want everyone to feel like they can wear my garments no matter how they identify. My brand represents inclusivity; Phoexion means Phoenix for the People. I want to empower the community by showing that they can be confident in their unique and different identities. My current slogan is “Find your Pride, Find your Pattern, Find your Phoexion.” I use this as a means to inspire. "Coming out" might be the first step towards living a positive life, but I believe that everyone is on a perpetual journey within themselves and towards positivity. I think its important to have a strong relationship with yourself, be kind, and be your own best friend.
Tell us a bit more about your internship with Tanya Taylor!
During my internship, I was responsible for rendering, editing, and revising sketches as well as placing prints for the spring and summer 2020 ready-to-wear collections. I have always loved textile design, and Tanya Taylor opened the possibilities of print mixing in my work. I learned how to mix two opposing prints and combine them in a garment. I also learned how to incorporate embellishments and curate a cohesive fashion collection. Design is very much about finding a sense of balance between different elements. This is the main skill I cultivated in my internship at Tanya Taylor.
You're currently interning with Tanya Taylor Designs for your exchange program, and you were featured in their Women Cut From Their Own Cloth series, with a focus on women making a difference in the LGBTQ+ community. Could you tell us about this initiative and how you felt to be a part of it?
I was speaking with Tanya Taylor and she asked me why I want to be a designer and what I want to do with my brand. I told her about my brand and that my goal is to empower the LGTBQ+ community through creative clothing. It turns out that this was a great decision, because the brand was in the process of building out an initiative for WorldPride. The next week our senior marketing director asked to interview me as part of the initiative. I felt accepted, valued, and courageous. It's important to state that a third of the entire LGBTQ+ community is not out at work or in their careers because they are afraid that it may jeopardize those opportunities. This experience is a glowing example of what can happen when you are unafraid and confident.
What does cultural exchange mean to you?
A cultural exchange is an opportunity to become integrated in a different environment and lifestyle than what you may used to. New York is an inspiring city; it's dynamic, vibrant, and artistic. My experience in New York is different every time, however the consistent variable is change. As an artist, it is crucial to put yourself out there constantly, while looking at the world through a lens of curiosity. This has always been a core aspect of who I am, and is part of why I choose to take risks, discover new places, and push myself out of my comfort zone. So, next time you make a decision, listen to Madonna's song "Jump" and take that leap of faith because you never know where it could land you!