Celebrities have a platform in the world - but it’s up to them whether they use it for good or bad. At the moment, it seems there are plenty of amazing famous people sticking up for LGBT+ rights all around the globe. Here are some of our favourite celebrity style icons who are making waves not only in the world of style but also for activism and equal rights
Ezra Miller
Pic: Instagram
Ezra has such an avant garde approach to style, I just had to include them! They wear whatever they feel - whether that’s a vintage suit or a gorgeous purple smoking jacket. They actually have a massive teen following - which is amazing because they’re a great role model! Ezra once said “Queer just means ‘no, I don’t do that’ [subscribe to gender norms and societal expectations]. I don’t identify as a man. I don’t identify as a woman. I barely identify as a human.” Ezra has started to use all pronouns interchangeably too. They’re a champion for future generations to come!
Shiloh Pitt
Huge respect for Shiloh Jolie Pitt. The media has over-scrutinised Shiloh for wearing “men’s” clothes just because they’re biologically female. The media has also labelled Shiloh as transgender because they wanted to be referred to as “John”...but Shiloh hasn’t actually said anything about it. They may or may not be transgender - it doesn’t mean they have to tell everyone. Their mother, Angelina Jolie, said “I think [Shiloh] is fascinating, the choices they’re making. And I would never be the kind of parent to force somebody to be something they are not. I think that is just bad parenting.” Let’s hope many more parents of gender fluid children follow suit.
Pic: Instagram
Jonathan Van Ness
Activist, TV personality and talented hairdresser Jonathan Van Ness is best known as the grooming expert on Queer Eye. Jonathan, who uses she/her, they/them and he/him pronouns, is always up for fluid gender expression in any way possible - including hair, clothes, make-up and, well, everything!
Speaking to Out, Jonathan said:
"The older I get, the more I think that I’m nonbinary — I’m gender nonconforming. Like, some days I feel like a man, but then other days I feel like a woman. I don’t really — I think my energies are really all over the place. Any opportunity I have to break down stereotypes of the binary, I am down for it, I’m here for it."
Jonathan has fun experimenting with colours, fabrics and styles - no two days are the same for them when it comes to style! You might see Jonathan in a haute couture dress with heels one day, a gothic glam look on another...and a
Olly Alexander
Olly Alexander, singer of synth-pop band Years & Years, champions not only LGBT+ issues but just being yourself! As such a positive role model for younger people, Olly’s style is colourful, playful, fresh and fun. He experiments with a variety of materials, patterns and cuts - a real homage to his natural way of expressing himself. One day you’ll see him in a fitted dungarees, the next a tassled crop top. He looks absolutely stunning in anything he wears...all because he carries himself so confidently. When interviewed by NME about gender identity, Olly said: “What I see is a lot of Years & Years fans are more fluid with gender identity and sexuality, which is great.There are more young people who accept and understand different identities and sexualities, but we have a long way to go to ensure they aren’t suffering abuse and discrimination.”
P!nk
P!nk seems to get a lot of hate on social media for the way she parents her two children Willow and Jameson. We all know you should never tell another person how to look after their own children, especially when that person is encouraging their child to be themselves. P!nk’s speech at the VMAs in 2017 was a fantastic example of this. She explained that Willow once turned to her mum and said “I’m the ugliest girl I know. look like a boy with long hair.” P!nk’s reaction? She made Willow a Powerpoint presentation about all the incredible androgynous rock stars such as Bowie, Annie Lennox, Janis Joplin, Freddie Mercury and many more. She turned to Willow and said “So, baby girl. We don’t change. We take the gravel and the shell and we make a pearl. And we help other people to change so they can see more kinds of beauty.” And guess what, Willow has started to dress as she feels - she turned up at the VMAs in a very dapper suit...we hope she always carries that confidence with her to wear whatever she likes, no matter what the haters say
Who are your favourite celebrity style icons? Let us know on GFW Clothing’s Facebook and Twitter pages!