ABSTRACT
Perhaps one of the most important and most often overlooked aspects of social movements has been the role of fashion and outer/bodily comportment in signalling and bringing activists and people together. I have spent the past two decades researching the intersection of sexuality and politics internationally. Through this research, I have come to understand that sexual politics are changing politics writ large, and an important part of these social movements for the activists involved is signalling. Symbols such as pink pussy hats in the USA, green arm bands in Iran, and pink saris in India are an important marker and call to action for activists seeking to bring about transformative social change. How sexuality, politics and sexual politics are communicated – through fashion and comportment – has been integral to the success of each of these movements. This chapter explores intersections of sexual and social movements and the role of fashion in these movements, examining the failures and successes that comporting resistance has brought about.
