o of me], they would be inundated with a whole lot of praise, but also a lot of backlash from their community,” Todorovič told Inside Retail.  While Todorovič presents as masculine, they often wear shoes and clothing that are marketed to women, such as high heels, dresses and, in the case of Bonds underwear, high-cut briefs.  “There were a lot of transphobic comments on those posts, and it raised my awareness that there is a real stigma around that category,” they said. “Underwear is very, very gendered, and it sparked a conversation around how we can change that.” Introducing The UnGenderwear Project Out of that conversation came The UnGenderwear Project, a multi-year initiative to break down gender norms and stereotypes in the fashion industry.  As part of the initiative, Bonds has appointed a panel of diverse LGBTQIA+ activists, including Todorovič, creator and DJ Kath Ebbs, poet and model Nyaluak Leth, and Minus18 youth advocate Adrian Murdoch. The project has three key goals:  Undertake a comprehensive audit of all gendered terms used across its products, packaging, and stores and review any deemed non-inclusive by 2025 Deliver a genderless shopping experience in owned channels by 2023 Continue to meaningfully consult with and listen to the LGBTQIA+ community on major initiatives, appoint a panel of advocates, and conduct a nationwide consumer study by 2023.  While these commitments might seem radical for a 107-year-old underwear brand, they’re in keeping with changing attitudes towards gender, especially among younger consumers. According to a recent Ipsos poll, only 1 per cent of adults currently describe themselves as transgender, non-binary, non-conforming, gender-fluid or “another way”, rather than as male or female. But among Gen Z, that number is 4 per cent. “Non-binary people, trans people, gender-fluid people have literally been around as long as humanity has. It’s not a new thing. It’s something that society is finally catching up on, and I think it’s a really positive and powerful thing,” Dr Emily Brayshaw, an honorary research fellow at UTS, told Inside Retail. Brayshaw thinks Bonds is smart to focus its inclusion efforts on changing in-store signage and using gender-non-conforming models in its marketing campaigns, rather than changing product design, which can often miss the mark.  “The other important thing is they’ve done it in real collaboration with the community,” she said. ‘No one is saying to erase gender’ To learn how brands can better cater to gender-diverse communities and why it’s important, we spoke to Todorovič. Inside Retail: For those who are new to the movement to de-gender fashion, can you explain why it’s important?  Deni Todorovič: It’s very simple. Imagine if one day you walked into your local department store, and there was no section dedicated to you. It would make you feel invisible. It would make you feel unvalued as a customer and as a member of the larger community. Trans and non-binary people live in a world where we always feel invisible, because we have to duck and weave between these gendered categories in order to find something that actually feels authentic to who we are. It’s like with pronouns. If you were to walk into a room and be constantly misgendered, that would really hurt you. Trans and non-binary people experience that 24/7. I experience that every day of my life. De-gendering fashion is simply pulling up a seat at the table for anyone who doesn’t exist on the binary spectrum of gender.  It’s really important to note that the de-gendering fashion movement does not desire, nor does it require, that we erase gender. No one is saying that we want to erase gender altogether. We just want to have multiple seats at the table, so that everyone can experience fashion and clothing at a very basic level in a way that is safe and fair. Right now, it’s not fair that I should walk into a store and feel as though I will be judged because of the shoes I want to buy. And currently I do [feel judged].  When I walk into a women’s store, I constantly have to screen the store: Is the sales assistant going to be nice to me? Are they going to ask if I’m shopping for my mum? Can I come out of the change room and have a conversation with the sales assistant, or will that make other customers feel uncomfortable? There are so many different aspects to it, and you have to be hyper-vigilant at all times, whereas cis-het [cis-gendered, heterosexual] people just walk through the world rather seamlessly because they live in a world that is so full of choice for them.  IR: What do you think other brands can learn from the way Bonds has approached this initiative?  DT: Bonds has done all the right things. They wanted to speak to a community, and in order to speak to that community, they invited members of that community to be a part of the conversation. If you’re going to speak to any community – whether it’s the plus-sized community or the BIPOC [Black and Indigenous people of colour] community – you need [to involve] people from that community, because otherwise, the end result is always going to be inauthentic.  Secondly, Bonds has seen a gap in the market for a movement that’s very clearly happening at a rapid rate globally. Look at TikTok, for example. Look at Gen Z. They don’t really believe in gender. They are so forward-thinking and progressive, and they are the next frontier of consumers, they’re actually already consumers. For a whole industry to ignore the future…it’s just a stupid business decision. You stand to make so much more money when you invite more people to the party, and that’s a conversation I’m constantly having around sizing and de-gendering fashion. As well, I would urge retailers to really think about their footprint on a bigger scale. We talk a lot about sustainability and that sort of environmental footprint, but what about your emotional footprint? Your children could be queer, your grandchildren could be trans. The fashion industry has such a powerful tool in its hands to reflect the world in which we live, and if [brands] choose not to do so with the clothes that they’re making, if they choose to exclude themselves from a deeper conversation that is happening, what a sad legacy to leave: that you’re an ignorant brand that didn’t want to evolve with the times.