The Q Center, which has long been a sanctuary for LGBTQIA+ students, recently unveiled the Q Boutique by bringing the entire campus community together for a fashion show showcasing gender-affirming clothing.

Highline’s Q Center is a safe place for the LGBTQIA+ students on campus and it has expanded its mission by providing free clothes for gender-affirming anyone who might need a new fit.

This innovative addition offers LGBTQIA+ students (and all others) a unique opportunity to explore and express themselves authentically through fashion for free.

“There were 14 student, staff, and faculty fashionistas in the show, and the theater was packed!” said Amy Rider, a High School Engagement & Academic Success faculty member and one of the organizers of the event.

“I loved that there were way more people than I expected. Way more, way more,” said Leona Oliveros, a part-time faculty member in the Youth Re-engagement and Success Program and fashionista (aka model) in the fashion show.

“It was a moving experience to witness such a high level of participation during the busy beginning of the year. The audience was a sea of smiling faces, and the space felt electric,” Rider said while commenting on the most memorable moments of the show.

True to the theme “Wear What Feels Good” the show was meant to be a reflection on clothing in relation to identity and sustainability.

“The show intentionally focused on wearing what feels good rather than wearing what looks good or what we think society expects of us. The Q Boutique promotes being true to oneself and surrounding ourselves with a positive network of support,” said Rider. “We hope the Fall Fashion Show was an uplifting experience.”

“It was very exciting, a lot of adrenaline for some reason. I thought it would be a slow process, but it went by very fast, and I was not expecting that, but it was good,” said Oliveros on how she felt during the event.

“I thought I would not be nervous, but once the music started, and I heard how loud the crowd was, yeah, my heart started racing a little bit. But it wasn’t a bad nervousness; it was still very positive,” said Oliveros.

While commenting on some of the positive feedback from the show Rider said, “Some of the comments we received included: ‘It was so beautiful!’, ‘I loved the energy in the room,’ ‘It was such an affirming event,’ and ‘It was nice to see people representing queer communities.’”

As a take-away from the fashion show Rider hopes that people’s awareness of the Q Center was increased. She said, “[W]e hope attendees at the Q Center Boutique opening and Fall Fashion Show feel excited about this new campus resource. The Q Boutique is a gender-inclusive and affirming space to receive clothing at no cost. We invite all of campus to visit and benefit from this resource.”

Rider looks to build on the momentum created by this event and hopes that future events will be even more successful. She said, “The next Q Boutique Fashion Show will take place early in the winter quarter. We look forward to having more time to plan our next show and applying input from fall participants to strengthen this event.”

“Please reach out if you would like to be involved,” encouraged Rider. For the next fashion show “we will be inviting fashionistas, designers, and backstage supporters to join the team.”

The Q Boutique is open Fridays from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. and is located in 4-121.

“The Q Center is currently hiring a student leader to staff a shared space in Building 8. Once this position is filled, the Q Center will be open a couple days a week in 8-301,” Rider said.

For those interested in supporting or getting involved with Q Center initiatives, Rider encourages reaching out to qcenter@highline.edu.