We all must do more to protect and support our Black trans sisters. Violence against the trans community is widespread and deadly as the horrifying statistics make all too clear. This year alone, at least 40 transgender people have been reported murdered, the majority of who were Black and Latinx trans women.
Faced with these numbers and stories, beauty brand We Are Fluide is dedicating its holiday campaign this year to honouring Black trans women and femmes everywhere.
A queer-founded, gender-neutral brand, We Are Fluide has sought to uplift and give space to underrepresented faces and voices since the beginning. In the past, its campaigns have featured the likes of gender non-conforming writer Jacob Tobia, activist Sebastian Rosemarie, and drag kid Desmond Is Amazing, and it regularly donates products to various events and fundraisers supporting LGBTQ+ organisations such as Callen-Lorde and the True Colors Fund.
Its new campaign is no different. Titled Radical Rest, the special edition collection features lip gloss, nail polish, and the brand’s first candle. For the campaign, We Are Fluide partnered with mutual aid organisation For The Gworls which raises money for Black trans people to help them cover the cost of housing, medical expenses, and gender-affirming surgeries. 20 per cent of all sales from the range will be donated to them.
“For the Gworls is excited to partner with We Are Fluide, as we stand by their mission of uplifting and centering the joy, safety, and rest of Black transgender women and femmes,” says Assani Armon, founder of For The Gworls. “We give so much to the world, and it is beyond time that the world gives back. This not only includes safety, but also joy, and rest.”
The accompanying campaign features Morticia Godiva, Niala, Zenobia Teague, and Daria Dee opening up about beauty, self-care and radical rest and what it means to them. “Black trans joy, for me, means safety,” says artist, performer, and actor Teague in the video.
“When I see another Black trans femme succeeding and thriving — nothing makes me more happy. It’s so special. Black trans folks, we endure so much critique and criticism, and there’s so much pressure that’s put on us to look a certain way, to be a certain way. Caring for yourself is such an important foundation.”
It’s a sentiment that We Are Fluide creative director Dev Seldon echoes. “I’m at my best when I’m speaking up, advocating for myself and my trans family,” they say. “We can’t wait for joy — we have to cultivate it and make time for it, take care of each other and ourselves. I know that whatever safety and freedom I have is a direct result of the work of the Black trans femmes who came before me and all of our queer elders who fought for our rights.”
We Are Fluide’s holiday collection is available here. Photography for the campaign by Alex Webster. Video by Tony D. White.
