Talulah-Eve Writes Open Letter About Transphobia and Tokenism in Fashion
In this op-ed, model Talulah-Eve questions why she was the only transgender model to walk at London Fashion Week, and the lack of representation for the transgender community on the runway.
"Fresh face? Fresh vision!" Fizzy sherbet and mustard were amongst the popular shades boasted at London Fashion Week this season, alongside over-the-top ruffles and tiny sunglasses. However, the one thing we didn't see is diversity.
I was fortunate enough to walk for Giles Deacon last season. But why was I the only transgender model to walk at all this season at LFW?
Our demand for change in the fashion industry is answered with the rare designer or brand that features a black model, a plus-size model, or even less likely, a transgender model, every now and then.
The answer to change isn't tokenism: casting one model from a marginalized group, or doing a one-off show that highlights a marginalized group. It's by regularly championing diversity, by making it the norm.
There's hope that the fashion industry will evolve and become more inclusive of all that is missing. For example, we've seen Edward Enninful take editorship at British Vogue who rightly stated, "In order for change to really take effect, it has to start from the inside." Alongside Enninful's welcomed role at Vogue, we've seen Rihanna make an emboldened breakthrough in the beauty industry with her unconventional Fenty Beauty makeup line, boasting an inclusive range of shades. Her success proves that diversity does sell. People of all colors are eager to support her brand. This is the type of movement we should be seeing more of in the fashion industry.
A person's identity — whether they identify as black, transgender, androgynous, or plus-size — should not be regarded as a trend. Inclusion doesn't mean a token appearance on the runway. If brands truly espouse diversity, then they should put diversity into practice behind-the-scenes, around the scenes and on the scene all the time — for every season and under every spotlight.
There shouldn't be a shock factor every time a diverse model is cast. It needs to be the norm.
There's so much power that lies in the hands of fashion designers. Use your power to enforce change, to embrace the beauty of diversity. The fashion industry is responsible for forecasting what's to come. Don't just forecast fashion; forecast the society we should be living in.
We're forever seeing advertisements for "fresh faces" in modeling, but what's really fresh about casting the same body type, gender, ethnicity, race, age, and size we always see on the runway? Let's create a fresh normality, a fresher vision.
Related: This Transgender Model Used the Runway to Send a Powerful Message to Donald Trump
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