Photo Illustration by Junior Linnaea Marks.

  In light of recent occurrences surrounding conservative commentator Candace Owens’ comments towards gender expression, SLOHS Expressions wants to address the importance of freedom of expression in clothing and affiliation to whatever one might associate with it. 

  What’s ironic about Owens’ views (that men must conform to societal norms and wear traditionally masculine clothing) as a whole is that she, like most conservatives, fights for individual liberties; it’s a great belief that established the United States as an enlightened and just country. However, she is so quick to criticize others who practice their freedoms and their own individual liberties when it isn’t perceived as ‘normal’ or ‘conventional’.

  Additional hypocrisies include Owens’ and many of her supporters’ use of the word “sheep” to describe people who follow liberal media. They throw the word around to criticize conformity in society, yet when someone like Harry Styles steps outside the box and expresses their individuality, they condemn them. How’s that for conformity?

  Many of these same people identify as anti-feminists, because they misconstrue feminism and misandry (prejudice against men). When these same people chastise men for wearing gender nonconforming clothes while allowing women to wear pants, that is truly misandry.

Feminism is about gender equality, which includes dissolving stereotypes that negatively affect men as well as women.

  Regardless of political party, men wearing dresses is not new. Dresses and skirts were created and worn among all genders long before pants existed. The fact that someone should be criticized for the cut of their clothing is laughable. 

  Gender is a social construct created by society to spread conformist and heteronormative behavior. Defying normalized gender roles should not be shamed or determined as inappropriate by someone else’s comfort level. Toxic masculinity has long perpetuated the idea that femininity in a man is a weakness, while women generally don’t feel the same way about expressing their own masculinity. 

  Today many people have become accepting enough to evolve from those traditional views and see that when a man can embrace his own appreciation for femininity through self expression it, if anything, shows a strength, confidence, and lack of fragility for being able to break barriers and rebel against the status quo.

  If you feel that it is inappropriate for a man to wear a dress, maybe it’s time you reevaluated your views and accept that people have the freedom to do what they want with their bodies.