Pride and Polyethylene

Many of the most iconic looks in queer pop culture are permeated with plastics from head to tail. The shiny, kitschy, over-the-top looks have become synonymous with drag culture. Some entertainers and artists have even named themselves on the material such as Plastik Patrik and Plastique Tiara, the latter’s name derived from a My Little Pony character, another product that comes to mind almost immediately when thinking of plastic children’s toys. Drag performances are designed to be a barrage to the senses and plastic is one of the best materials for it, being malleable, cheap and light, with room for experimentation and development. There exist online forums dedicated to the craftsmanship behind the fashion shows and the best ways to decorate different plastic surfaces for professionals and hobbyists alike. Whether someone is looking for the ideal way to craft a foam wig or apply glitter much of this advice comes from the LGBTQIA+ users, pioneering the techniques wherever in the world they are.

Experimentation through clothing and make-up is often an essential part of discovering one’s personal style and affirming gender for LGBTQIA+ people, no matter their age. Textiles contribute an estimated 200,000 to 500,000 tonnes of microplastics into the global marine environment each year, the majority coming from the first time clothing items are washed. Fast fashion contributes the most to this issue, accounting for the majority of first washes and wearing out extremely quickly. However, rising in popularity is the idea of shopping for vintage, up-cycled, or secondhand fashion, offering buyers the opportunity to find something unique and original and make it their own. From a culture very often “othered” by society, leaning into the look by wearing something no one else is likely to have can be a comfort and a confidence builder for queer individuals.

Young celebrities such as Billie Eilish have played a small part in popularising and bringing attention to re-using textiles as expressive fashion for Gen Z individuals. In her 2022 MET Gala outfit, Eilish worked with Gucci to create an outfit entirely from already existing fabrics to reduce waste, having already worked with Gucci to up-cycle the “Happier Than Ever” vinyl from scrapped plastic sourced from the first run of the album. While buying pre-loved clothing is a better solution to fast fashion it still highlights the issue that eco friendly options are simply not an accessible choice for many people within marginalised groups due to expense or lack of availability in their location.

Stepping away from the boldest fashion shows, plastic still makes itself present on visually quieter levels. During Pride marches a festival of plastic is on display between the array of boldly coloured flags, the banners of support, and the pin badges individuals wear as their own signifiers of identity. Between the 1960s and 1980s when protest movements were on the rise, plastic pin badges were produced rapidly for each effort, the popularity of them among protestors also growing thanks to the punk movement of the late 70s. Vintage pin badges from pride marches are not wholly dissimilar to the badges we see produced today, from their punchy slogans to the fact they’re usually made by individuals from the community. Pin badges as objects are treasured, many decades old collections of them surviving thanks to people who kept them secret and safe. They provide a timeline of LGBTQIA+ struggles throughout history, speaking the voices of those lost, made of a material that is practically immortal.

Photo credit: No Revisions