‘Wearing women’s clothing saved my life’

Influencer Flawlessy Kevin discusses their queer experiences and how make-up and clothing helped them find comfort in their femininity.

“Growing up, I always knew I was different – and by that, I was gay,” Kevin shares.

“So for me, what was most comfortable was feminine things. Make-up was one way that I expressed myself with my gender identity. Another way was with my fashion sense.

“I remember that my very first piece of women’s clothing was actually accidentally put in the men’s section,” Kevin explains. Without even knowing that it was a “woman’s piece of clothing”, they bought the top – and it “opened the gates” for their gender expression.

However, it hasn’t always been easy for Kevin. When they formed a close friendship with a straight guy who said he would take them shopping for clothes, he later ended up ghosting Kevin and unfollowing them on social media.

Meanwhile, at the time that they were exploring their gender expression, their mum was not accepting of their identity.

“She was probably the one that had the most issue with it,” they share. “She was like, ‘why are you wearing makeup? Why are you wearing girls’ clothes? You’re a boy. Are you transgender?’”

As a result, Kevin started to question themselves and felt very “fragile” about their gender identity. “Do I feel some type of way in my body that I should or shouldn’t?” they recall of their inner narrative at the time.

Then, when they went to college, their roommate was a trans man who “opened up” their eyes to the term non-binary.

“That is what I feel that I identify closely with,” Kevin shares. “To me, non-binary basically means neither male or female, in-between. It’s just something that I feel really comfortable in.

“Now, more than ever, I feel the most confident in my skin.”

• Nov 29 2023

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