Gender stereotypes are incorporated from birth as pink is considered girly while blue is boyish. Men are supposed to wear trousers while women can dress up in skirts and dresses. While everyone grows up with such notions, in the era of gender fluidity, there are some people who strive to break gender norms that dictate fashion. Among them is Shivam Bhardwaj, a fashion content creator, who is better known as ‘theguyinaskirt’ on Instagram where he has 31,000 followers. Dressed in a black flowing skirt and pairing it with a t-shirt and sunglasses, he is seen walking with aplomb inside a Mumbai local train in one of his Instagram Reels. While some people stared at him, he oozed confidence in his style and that’s what he wants to do by breaking gender norms in clothing. View this post on Instagram A post shared by SHIVAM BHARDWAJ🏳️🌈 (@theguyinaskirt) In an interview with The Indian Express, Bhardwaj, 24, shared how he came to be known as ‘the guy in a skirt’. “I started wearing skirts four years ago and thought how comfortable this garment is. Historically, skirts were worn by men and women but with time they came to be known as feminine attire. I think clothes and makeup are for everyone and through my Instagram handle, I want to promote this idea that even men can wear skirts,” he said. Regarding his childhood and growing up in a small town like Meerut, Bhardwaj said he was thrown out of his house by his father when he was 19. “I come from a poor family and my father wanted me to do chartered accountancy. However, I wanted to work in the fashion industry, which he did not agree with,” he said. View this post on Instagram A post shared by SHIVAM BHARDWAJ🏳️🌈 (@theguyinaskirt) After working in the BPO industry, Bhardwaj saved money and bought a phone and tripod and thus started his journey as a content creator. Gradually, his family also started supporting him as they saw his progress and how he became independent while staying alone in Mumbai. “Even when I came out as gay to my parents, they were supportive of my decision. They said as long as you are not hurting anyone and are a good person, you also deserve all the happiness,” Bhardwaj said. “My mother just wants to see me married and is always telling me to settle down just like a lot of parents,” he quipped. While same-sex marriage in India is still not recognised and the Supreme Court referred a batch of petitions pertaining to its legal recognition to a Constitution Bench, Bhardwaj said that the government should stop opposing everything in the name of upholding culture. “When Section 377 was struck down, it felt like a big victory. If the government allows same-sex marriage it will be huge for our community as more people will come out of the closet and overcome this mindset of fear,” he said. There are still many misconceptions regarding the LGBT community even among those who mean well, he said. “A lot of people think I am trans because of my clothes. Why should men be afraid of being judged if they want to explore their feminine side. I know a lot of straight men as well who like painting their nails. We should stop judging and trying to put labels on everything,” he said.
