Digital fashion: Solutions and limitations for the LGBTQIA+ community

Abstract

As many LGBTQIA+ community members face gender dysphoria, aligning their sexual and gender identities through appearances can make a significant positive impact in their lives. But while many queer people find that fashion can be a power instrument to create, maintain and express their personal identity, ‘In Real Life’ (IRL) fashion has severe limitations, too. Off-the rack clothes can be a source of physical discomfort and frustration, as they tend to be designed for cisgender consumers. Dominant styles of the community at a given time and space can be limiting as well when it comes to experimentation across the spectrum, as they also tend to promote cuts, colours and garments that may be more reflective of the zeitgeist than of peoples’ personal preferences. Digital fashion may offer solutions for many of these problems, as designs can be entirely fitted and personalized for consumers. Furthermore, many digital garments have prices that are a fraction of their IRL counterparts, reducing financial barriers to entry and participation. Digital fashion taps into issues such as self-creation and expression, while also addressing issues in both social representation, diversity and inclusion. Moreover, because most digital fashion experiences occur in a private setting, participants are offered an element of emotional and physical protection, an important consideration for individuals from communities where their gender and sexual identities are accepted or stigmatized. Digital fashion may be used as a means to establish identity and social relationships, and as a facilitator to bridge communities. This article explores the possibilities, solutions and also limitations that digital fashion offers to the LGBTQIA+ community, while exploring the ethical considerations that creators of digital fashion should consider implementing.