Immediately my classmates noticed my metamorphosis — and for the first time, I loved the attention. For the next few years, I hunted for new outfit ideas to keep the spotlight on me. However, every day when I got home, when I shed my meticulously curated outfits, all of my confidence came off with it. None of my internal conflicts were resolved; I was still insecure about being fat, alienated for being gay, and disconnected from my Asian heritage.
My problems were never sewn into the stitches of my clothing, they were woven into the fabric of my soul. Every day I would wrap my belt around my stomach so tight that it left lasting red marks on my body just to appear thinner.
Even as I craved the attention of others, I was still so afraid to show the real me. If I wanted to fully become confident in myself, rather than forcing myself to fit into beauty, I had to force beauty to fit me. At the same time, I came to understand that my liberation as a queer person could only be achieved by defying assimilation into heterosexist, patriarchal society.
I walked through the hallways with my head held a little higher, not just safe in my cloth armor, but confident in my own skin. I am not a patchwork of labels, but rather I am made from a blend of fabrics all working together to excel in everything.
If I could never be accepted as I am, then I would have to accept myself. When I look back on my clothing in middle school, truthfully, they were ugly. However, I do not cringe or regret wearing them, because I know that I was authentic to myself and I felt good wearing those outfits. Much like in my preteen years, instead of trying to look good, I now aim to dress however I want, because I know in my heart that I am beautiful whether I am wearing flip-flops or platform Doc Martens.
I had a music video go viral and I was thinking to myself, "Man, all my music is uplifting and empowering. If only I had a piece, a product, something that I could give to my fans that they could identify with--that they could wear of their own--and not be my name or my face, but something along the lines of what it means to them. I started doing it on my own, and then my friends' friends, and then their friends, and then I started a blog where I offered to do it for free for anybody who wanted to mail me their personal shirt, I would spray paint "So Worth Loving" on the back of their shirt and just mail it back.
It just evolved and grew, and I realized that there was demand for people wanting to carry this message with them. They wanted to use it as a way to talk about the struggles of self-worth. I received so many stories in my inbox of people telling me, "Thank you for telling me I'm worth loving.
No one has ever told me that. On turning an idea into a business: I dealt with challenges, even just being able to afford inventory. I would work on the side with contract jobs, because I was an art director as well, so I would do those jobs and I would literally just put it all back into the company.
We're debt-free, and I don't have an investor. It's just grassroots, and as it's been snowballing all of the profit has gone back into the company. It's been three years now, and I feel like we're finally getting into a rhythm. On Atlanta's small business community: There's a lot of really cool socially good companies coming out of the South, and I love seeing that.
We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work. Key points: A team of volunteers from Dress for Success Perth visited Kalgoorlie-Boulder, the first time the global charity has been to regional WA Volunteers ran workshops aimed at building women's confidence to get them into the workforce Dress for Success volunteers say some vulnerable women often struggle more with their self-esteem.
Posted 17 Apr 17 Apr Sat 17 Apr at am. More on:. Top Stories Celebrity cosmetic surgeon's 'barbaric' attempt to fix a tummy tuck under local anaesthetic.
Prime Minister says he does not believe he has told a lie in public life. Live: Victorians on alert for severe weather as heavy rain and high winds forecast to batter the state. Tasmania's electricity connector to mainland, Basslink, goes into administration. A judge says construction company's punishment must send a message to other employers. Man caught crossing SA border by foot despite wearing camouflage clothing. Warning over teacher shortage at alternative and religious schools amid WA vaccine mandate.
0コメント