Ellie Mumford

Research project: Non-binary performances: The relationship between fashion, gender and the body for individuals with non-binary gender identities

Abstract

Over the last decade there has been a significant increase in both theoretical work on the subject of transgender identities and sociological research into the lives and experiences of transgender people.  However, few studies to date have explored gender identities that exist outside of the male/female binary, and the ways in which people with non-binary gender identities experience and negotiate gender in everyday life.

My project explores the relationship between fashion, gender and the body as experienced by non-binary people.  The study employs a multiple-methods design consisting of interviews and participant clothing diaries to explore how non-binary people perceive and experience the relationship between their gender identity and their everyday fashion practices.

This is an interdisciplinary project that draws upon theoretical work from several fields of study including Gender Studies, Queer Studies, Fashion Studies and Sociology.  In focusing on non-binary identities, the research contributes to understandings of the experiences and perceptions of a group of individuals who are often overlooked, both within the field of Fashion Studies and within the broader area of transgender research.