This story first appeared in Queer Cincinnati: Beyond the Binary, published Oct. 23, 2026.

Transgender people from all unique walks of life have a very different relationship with fashion than their cisgender peers. For transgender youth, how they choose to dress themselves can have a wide variety of purposes in their day to day lives. For many trans people, how they dress can often impact how they affirm their own gender, relate their gender expression to others, and protect themselves and their community. With what feels like limited spaces to celebrate transgender bodies, and the constant commentary on trans expression from cisgender peers, transgender youth are looking inwards. Through this they are finding home within themselves and their community through dress.

Stone (They/Them), 23, Hometown: Roebuck, SC

“What item of clothing was a milestone in your transition?”

Stone: This orange dress that I was able to turn into pants. A big thing to me is androgyny. Having a dress and knowing that I can wear whatever with it really brought out that experience. And can I even say it’s mine if I didn’t make it my own? I don’t have enough dresses and skirts but I’ll get there.

With clothing being so attached to gender expression in our society, the ability to modify that clothing can be very important to many trans people. Clothing can determine much of how you’re perceived by others. With most mainstream clothing often being designed around the gender binary, altering garments to be more androgynous/fitting can be deeply fulfilling.

Kenni (She/Her), 22, Hometown: Delhi Township, Ohio

“Do you find home and gender euphoria in clothing that people might imagine to be a bit more physically restrictive, and if so what garments?”

Kenni: Honestly my heels. With my thigh high boots, you have to wear them for a while and work them in, but once you’ve had them for a while I feel like you can do anything in these heels, it feels like I am just wearing some gym shoes.

“Does your dress inform how you feel within your body or do you think it more informs what you can accomplish with your body?”

Kenni: Definitely the latter. Sometimes you have to know you can’t be dancing the absolute most in a little dress, but I will [still] be dancing around busting my ass.

Way (She/Her/Hers), 21, Hometown: Loogootee, Indiana

“How does your career in musical theatre and acting impact your dress and transition?”

Way: Dress in a lot of ways is everything. It’s what the people behind the table like casting directors and artistic directors see first before you even open your mouth. I want to ensure I am representing myself in the most authentic way without dampening who I am.

“Why do you think hyper utilitarian garments (for example carabiners, cargo pants, combat boots) are so popular amongst trans people?”

Way: [In my opinion], queer people are overwhelmingly more common amongst the working class because there is less energy available to try to hide something. We make up a good part of the labor force. There is also this idea of needing to be ready to be equipped to stand up for yourself and being ready to help and protect other queer people.

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Clothing not only serves as a means of expression but also for everyday utility. Sporting a more utilitarian look is a form of anti-fashion. Rejecting consumeristic, highly gendered, and rigid fashion standards. Not only for comfort and mobility, but also for the very genuine purpose of expressing one’s authentic identity.

Emmet (They/He), 24, Hometown: Anderson Township, OH

“What was it like growing up queer and trans in Anderson? Did you feel like you had to make any compromises in your dress to be safe?”

Emmet: It was one of those things that was never talked about in my household. I grew up religious and homeschooled so I didn’t get to see a lot until I got my first barista job when I was 18. I was introduced to people that used different pronouns, that were trans and queer. Anderson has gotten better but it’s not the most accepting place. At first when I was newly queer I would definitely ‘tone it down’. As I have grown into dressing how I feel it’s still very scary and intimidating. You never know how people are going to respond to crazy makeup or a shaved head. I am going to look queer no matter what. Travelling around Cincinnati for sure changes how I dress, closer to downtown I really get to go to the max with it.

Elliot (They/He/She), 22, Hometown: Cincinnati, OH

“If dressing ever felt like a costume, when did it stop feeling like a costume?”

Elliot: Looking back in my early transition, I painted on my eyebrows and I would make facial hair with my makeup, it felt like I was performing the most hyper masculine. When 2020 hit, I loved experimenting and playing with makeup and that is when I got a little bit more feminine. It hit me that I didn’t have to perform as much, I could use it as a chance to be more fluid, more for myself than the people around me. It really just matters day to day about how I present myself. That fluidity has allowed me to really find myself and connect to my body.

As fluid as gender identity and expression can be for many transgender people, one of the many utilities of dress can be its ability to change with us. This not only allows for us to accurately portray ourselves to the world at large, but also aids in us being able to break down internal biases and shame. Experimentation and fluidity in one’s dress can become an essential part of the journey towards true self expression.

Thank you to Secondhand Circus and GG for allowing us into your space, and thank you for what you do for the Cincinnati transgender community.

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