Y L L A C I T N AUTHE
RAUCOUS
RUFUS ELLIOTT TALKS SHAKING UP THE COLLINGWOOD QUEER SCENE WITH A VODKA REDBULL IN HAND
more extreme, more femme, more edgy
“queer as being about the self that is at odds with everything around it and has to invent and create and find a place to speak and to thrive and to live� - BELL HOOKS
Clothing, for me, is one of the most important aspects of my queerness. Fashion is what sparked my curiosity into my sexuality and gender expression. My style is about blending pieces, ideas, references and history to create a cohesive idea within a look. I find it to be the most powerful way I can express myself; I have the freedom to play around with characters and personas, challenging the ‘gender norms’ by dressing in both male and female clothing. This feeling of challenging the ‘social norms’ is something I still cherish. Collingwood nightlife has really pushed my self-expression to where it is today, I was able to become more extreme, more femme, more edgy and more reflective of who I feel I am. Balance is important to me, but to stay balanced on a night out is unnecessary. When I go out, I like to show more skin, wear clothes I can dance in and shoes that won’t hurt my feet and my makeup is always exaggerated to complete the fantasy – I don’t play by ‘rules’ at night. The sense of community pushes people to be a very authentic version of themselves, and the clubbing atmosphere is a way for individuals to break down facades with drunken conversation and meeting friends of friends. On a microcosmic level, the community has given me a space to really exist after the hardships of early life, it has given me the most beautiful ups and downs, a rollercoaster of laughter, tears, and chatter, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world because ultimately it’s all very real, and nothing can replace it.