Clothing has Become a Big Part of My Expression
Filmed and edited by Benjamin Shimwa
Gemma sitting in front of a track sewing machine, next to a clothing rack with a few items of clothing, in interview format.
Gemma: Grew up with a very religious family and before I had been out- I had very much a relationship with clothing that was- and textiles- that was very much, practical, to say the least. I saw it as just something that I needed to have, so whatever was comfortable, whatever I had, and so up ’till about 2 years ago, everything in my wardrobe was probably about 15 years or more older.
But that’s when I didn’t really care about using clothing to express myself because expression was shut down. But since coming out, it’s become- clothing has become a big part of my expression and who I am and the choices that I make, and carries a lot more weight in my life than it ever used to, and to a positive note- that it is not something that occurs in my life but additive to it now.