Freedom of expression means to resist unstoppably against any prejudice. Free to live, express yourself and dress the way you want. We would all love to experience this feeling of freedom. Only when you feel truly free you can best express yourself. When this is not the case, insecurity creates an armor within us, a shield that makes us hide behind an identity that does not belong to us.

“The biggest problem is that society has given us only one way of being. Only one way of living. Be a woman or a man”. These words make us think a lot and are very current. They are the words of Stefano Ferri, entrepreneur, and crossdresser, who wants to convey a message of freedom by explaining that he feels comfortable dressed only as a woman, although he is heterosexual.

The adjective heterosexual is not accidental. We did not use it to reveal a person’s sexual orientation, which, by the way, should not matter to anyone. This adjective is used to emphasize that sexuality, should never be defined by the way of dressing. We mention another famous personality who recently spoke on this subject on the occasion of the Sanremo Festival, namely Drusilla Foer. The artist, the alter ego of Gianluca Gori, charmed the audience with the importance of uniqueness, claiming that “we let our thoughts flow freely, without prejudice or shame”.

Anyone listening to the words of Stefano Ferri and Drusilla Foer should reflect on how society, even today, is full of prejudice against those who dress and express themselves differently from customs. That’s the
point. What is right or wrong, who decides?

Clothing is necessary for individuals to express their identity and is a powerful symbol of the development of the culture and society that produces it. A garment is a powerful, strong, and clear means of communication, an expression of oneself, but sometimes it can also be a shield. Indeed, today’s society, unfortunately, does not think so, and discriminating what’s different isn’t uncommon, against people who dress or behave differently. But what is the point of discrimination? Nothing. What does it lead to? To the suffering of people.

Often, those who are different from the normality are called “weird.” But what does it mean to be different? It means to be unique. And who are those who are different? We are all different and unique. And that’s what clothing, fashion in general, does: honor not diversity, but the uniqueness of people.

Stefano Ferri tells his story to help those who cannot express themselves freely because they feel judged. His words are a hymn to the struggle without hiding, without ever depriving himself of the freedom of expression. Hiding, keeping everything to yourself, is like running out of air and living in a prison. People like him are an example to follow so as not to feel condemned in general, not only for the way you dress but for thinking, expressing yourself, doing something, living without justifying yourself to anyone.

Fortunately, it is not only individuals who fight for freedom of expression, but also big fashion giants who fight for freedom.

For example, let us talk about Zalando, a well-known fashion e-commerce company. In 2019, the company celebrated and promoted the freedom to be with its “Free to be” campaign and engaged special testimonials such as the model and activist Adwoa Aboah, who always advocates mental health by promoting that fashion and makeup are powerful tools to feel free, safe and strong, and Rain Dove, an androgynous model who fights against standardization and emphasizes the importance of individuality.

Strong and clear messages: Fashion needs to stop talking about gender and start celebrating the full freedom of the individual. Sometimes the way we dress signals that we belong to a subculture, to a certain group of people, but it can also emphasize our individuality.

Designers like Jonathan Anderson, for example, have created collections that make you think about what is masculine and what is feminine without categorizing his collections. In his opinion, gender classification is just a convention.

It is certainly not a current trend to see men dressed as women. Roman senators, for example, always wore tunics at important dinners and were even make-up, or even in the 1700s, noblemen wore high heels! It was the monotheistic religions of the Renaissance that introduced the taboo, considering the difference between the sexes insurmountable.

Although there are still prejudices that have not been fully overcome, fortunately, things are changing for the better. TV and the advent of the Internet and social media in our lives have meant that all of us, young and old, are more exposed to the world and have a broader view of reality that is not limited Just think of the Maneskin, who conquered the world not only with their music but also with their freedom of expression, showing up on stage with the make-up and wearing suspenders.

However, despite the defense of freedom of expression, interpreted as the freedom to express one’s identity through fashion, it is also important to put freedom of thought on the same level and respect those who think differently, always and in any case. There must always be mutual respect.

Everything that is reported, of course, is not limited to gender, but to freedom of expression in general, not only in terms of being a woman and being a man but also in terms of physicality. Why can’t a curvier person wear a skirt if she/he feels comfortable with it? The same is true for a slimmer figure if she/he feels comfortable showing off her/his slender forms.

Seeing someone dressed unusually should not be called “unusual”, it should be called extraordinary! Each of us is unique and special.

We can express ourselves and dress the way we want to feel good and be happy. And speaking of happiness, we quote the words of Stefano Ferri: What is happiness? To desire what you have, to understand what you want, to get what you want, but above all to desire it every day.