Dead clothes, new identities

Queer feminist resource group Nazariya has called out to community members to donate old clothes that are discarded as they embrace new identities

Priya M Menon

February 19, 2024

Chennai: For the last few weeks, Nazariya, a queer feminist resource group based in New Delhi, has been putting out a call for donations for a ‘dead clothes’ giveaway.

Now, if you are wondering what that means, it’s pretty simple. The explanation has been put out on their posters on social media. Lots of queer people change the way they dress as they embrace new identities, and the clothes from their dead past pile up in their wardrobes. But there may be others in the community who could be looking for rad clothes that affirm them.  

“The dead clothes giveaway will be a part of Q-Tales, our monthly community meeting, which will be held on February 25 at Khuli Khirkee from 4pm to 5pm,” says Aabha, communication coordinator, who identifies as a trans masculine non-binary person. “We are also conducting an open mic session featuring artists like the Particle Collective and Aditya Vikram performing revolutionary songs and poetry. We will have more exciting performances also. It is a free event, and all queer and trans persons are welcome to attend.”

Nazariya has asked people to donate clothes they no longer use, says Aabha. “When trans people transition, not just medically, they change the way they express themselves. Often, this means not wearing the clothes they had to wear earlier,” they say. “But there are others in the community who would be looking for clothes that affirm them and make them feel euphoric. So why not just donate your dead clothes, and people from the community can come and pick the clothes they want.”

There is just one condition – that the clothes they donate are wearable. “They should not be soiled or torn,” says Aabha.

Community members across the country feel that it is a good initiative as it’s usually difficult to find suitable clothes once they change their gender identity or the way they express themselves.

“I began taking hormone replacement therapy, and have discarded the clothes that I was forced to wear earlier when I was not open about who I really am,” says Shanthi*, a transwoman based in Kolkata. “But other trans women have been kind enough to share their clothes with me.”

Jaya of Sahodaran, a male sexual health project based in Chennai, says that this is often the case. “Very few people from the trans community transition while they are still at home. Often, they first make contact with other trans people, and, when they leave home, they do not carry any of their clothes with them. Some member of the trans community usually adopts them and gives them their clothes, which are then altered and worn,” she says, adding that trans women fall back on the jamaat system for support.

Sasha

Social activist and media personality Sasha, who identifies as a trans woman, still remembers the day she totally changed her wardrobe. “I had started hormone therapy. It was Halloween, I was invited to a party and I dressed up in a cocktail dress and went out for the first time clad completely like a girl,” she says. “I was scared and shy but wanted to do it.”

Initially, when Sasha identified as a gay man, she wore tight shirts and fancy, girly shirts. “I used to prefer wearing women’s jeans as I liked the way they fit. Later, while transitioning, I wore women’s T-shirts and shorts.”

When she walked out of her ex-boyfriend’s house, she didn’t take a single piece of clothing along. “I had to buy all the clothes but it was easy to find good clothes for women that were cheap,” she says.

Riyam Jain, a trans man based in Ludhiana, says that he gave away most of his ‘dead’ clothes to people in the community as well as the household help. 

“Those clothes didn’t resonate with me. I became more androgynous from 2015 and from 2016-18 became more masculine,” he says, adding that he has been on hormone replacement therapy for more than two years. “I had to go out and shop, spend money to get a new wardrobe for myself. Circulating clothes you don’t use in the community is good but you have to be lucky enough to find clothes that fit your body type.”

You can register for the event here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeMkPW_HlnKkfafln2Mkfybf2KeMON20uQVk6muR7fd45GkqQ/viewform

(* Name changed to protect privacy.)