Anything, or anyone, that helps break the gender binary is worthy of celebration. Anything, or anyone, that realizes that there's more to gender than boy vs. girl, blue vs. pink, masculine vs. feminine is irrevocably doing something worthwhile. Because such forces have the end goal of broadening perspectives, yielding acceptance for those who fall somewhere on the spectrum rather than at its poles, and ultimately expanding narrow views and ideologies, they're truly remarkable. Thus is the case with androgynous model Rain Dove.
Since New York Fashion Week, Rain Dove has been making headlines. Although there's still much to be done in terms of Fashion Week and diversity, February's A/W showcase was certainly more inclusive in some respects, from putting plus-size models on the runway to models with disabilities. And Rain Dove also made it to the runway, stunning spectators, fashionistas, and anyone who took the time to pay attention with her gender bending looks, but more importantly, with her sense of self — something that radiates confidence in humbly captivating ways.
In yesterday's interview with Huffington Post , Dove opened up about everything from her own relationship with her body and style to the changes she hopes to see within not just the fashion industry, but with the overall representation (or lack thereof) or humans that were, heretofore, left on the mainstream's sidelines. Here are just seven pieces of wisdom from her conversation with writer James Michael Nichols.
1. You Are Unique
"To be a 'visible androgynous model,' well it means something is being done right and that I have the opportunity to make a sizable dent in how the world sees fashion. There will never be another Rain Dove. There will never be another YOU."
2. Not Everyone Will Love You, And That's OK
"Not everyone will see your beauty and not everyone will find you attractive or believe you are worthy of their clothing or publications. You have to be satiated with just being authentically yourself at the end of the day."
3. There Is No Wrong Way To Exist
"The fashion world has led to the knowledge that since every image is of me, it represents me and, therefore, everything I do is perfect stylistically and nothing could be wrong because there is no wrong way to be me as long as I'm choosing to be it."
4. There Is Trouble In Advertising
"Advertisements tell us all kinds of things we can expect out of the clothing as our environment when we don the garments or accessories. It tells us what type of person it would look best on — what age, race, sex — it tells us where to wear it outdoors, at a fancy cocktail party, in a relaxed home environment. And, most importantly, it tells us who we can attract wearing the garments by showcasing couples."
5. But Communities Have The Power To Change Things
"If the queer community bands together and can loudly state and prove that they have the spending power to make businesses not only richer, but also to compensate for any potential cliental loss for representing the the queer community — then I think you will see growth and change."
6. There Should Be More To Life Than...
"I see that one day we will have more pressing matters globally than who people sleep with, what sex they are and are they fitting within social norms for their age/race/genitalia/socioeconomic status."
7. Eventually, We Won't Need Labels
"One day, in the world, we wont even identify ourselves as anything other than human. Queer, straight, agender, noncomforming — all the labels will be seen as superfluous information."
Images: Instagram/ raindovemodel
