Full Spectrum: Honoring Queerness in Nature

Full Spectrum: Honoring Queerness in Nature

Mina wears Isosceles dress, bodysuit, and underwear.

 

Photographs by Ben Toms

Styling by Robbie Spencer

For many queer people, nature is a place free of judgment and conformity, where diversity is celebrated and crucial to survival. Here, queer models weighed in on how queerness and nature connect—a reminder that there is nothing more natural than being who you are.

Vanina wears model’s own underwear
From left: Vanina wears Katya Zelentsova top and skirt. Mina wears MaisonCléo dress

“There is nothing more powerful than seeing yourself, accepting every bit of it, and being genuinely happy about the gift that authenticity has given you and that you have given yourself.”

Vanina Rodriguez
Neveah wears MaisonCléo swimsuit and vintage Levi’s jeans
Joakim wears Supriya Lele dress

“I think a quality that nature and queerness in humans have in common is that they both come in all forms. We don’t judge nature for its shapes, sizes, and differences: we still view it as a whole. Queerness and humans come in all forms, but we label and separate ourselves when we should be able to view ourselves as a whole—like we view nature and the planet.” —Joakim Gjemmestad

 

“Queerness is not just a community to me—it’s the life I live. It’s originality and the feeling of finally being who you want to be. In a world of rules and standards, being able to stand out is something I and a lot of others thrive off.” —Neveah Blatch

Clockwise from top left: Dendzi wears Pauline Dujancourt pants. Joakim wears Kirsty Ellerbrok dress. Vanina wears Chié Kaya bodysuit and briefs. Mina wears Isosceles dress and bodysuit

“I think that conservation is what links nature and queerness together. Nature and its resources are abused—hence, our need for behavioral changes and practices that favor the planet’s health. For queer people, our history of persecution, acceptance, and now visibility leads to more support, but also a lack of queer spaces solely for queer people. So, intentional conservation is crucial for the longevity of who we are as queer people and our stay on this planet.” —Dendzi

 

“To me, queerness is embracing what may makes you different and learning to accept, nurture, and love those qualities about yourself, as well as carrying that kindness you give to yourself into how you treat and view others.” —Joakim Gjemmestad

Jules wears Masha Popova top and bag, Prada briefs

“Nature gives me hope, it makes me want to belong to this world. I enjoy observing the stillness of it, of its cycles and its growth. I understand my transition and phases through it. Nature always finds its way, as do queer people. We’ve always been here: we are part of nature and we connect with her in a very deep and magical way.” —Mina Serrano

Jules wears stylist’s archive sequined bralette and shorts
Joakim wears Stella McCartney dress

“Queerness is a mark of safety. It’s almost this wavelength we all exude, some more, some less, and you can recognize it. It connects us. If you are queer and struggling, just go in the direction of this wave and you’ll be alright.”

Jules Volfu
Lucy and Conni wear models’ own clothes
Neveah wears Marni top and pants, Supriya Lele bra

“Queerness to me is part of my everyday life. It’s normal but at the same time beautiful and rebellious.” —Lucy Coward

 

“To me, being queer means being free to express and present yourself in any way that makes you happy.” —Conni Bilham

Freddie wears Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood deadstock trenchcoat, stylist’s archive swimsuit, Molly Goddard shoes

“Nature is unique and constantly growing, just like the queer community. Humans, like other animals, love to find groups that we can relate to. Nature is about being organic and real and so is being queer, which is why I love the community so much.” —Neveah Blatch

Jules wears stylist’s archive sequined bralette and shorts
Lucy wears Katya Zelentsova top, Vaquera skirt, and model’s own necklace

“Nature plays a very big role in my life as I am currently studying physics with astronomy. Learning about stars, galaxies, and the universe provides perspective on how small we are in the universe, but also how fortunate we are to be alive in it.” —Lucy Coward

 

“Nature and Queerness are both part of us. If you try to deny them, you’ll hurt yourself in the end. You can see the effects around you. Be kind to yourself. Accept these parts of you.” —Jules Volfu

Freddie wears Dilara Findikoglu swimsuit
Conni wears Isosceles mesh top and swimsuit top, Diamante wrap mesh skirt, MaisonCléo skirt and swimsuit bottoms, model’s own necklace

“We are not endangered, because neither queerness nor nature are going anywhere. But maybe we are both under-appreciated, for how much we bring to our planet.”

Freddie Finch
Clockwise from top left: Dendzi wears Acne Studios trench coat. Lucy wears Kiko Kostadinov dress, Veldon Salim arm warmers, model’s own necklace. Conni wears Dilara Findikoglu swimsuit, Eleanor Butler-Jones skirt, model’s own necklace. Martin wears stylist’s archive tank top, model’s own pants, underwear, and necklace. Jules wears Molly Goddard tank top, shirt, skirt, leggings, and shoes

“To me, queerness is the act of self-permission. You are giving yourself the agency to show aspects of who you are to others, and in this action, revealing truths to yourself. The idea of public authenticity to me is a great goal, but a rather elitist way of looking at queerness, as queer people are still persecuted or killed in many places around the world. So, to me, queerness is putting the power in your hands to identify how you wish and reveal it in the ways you want.” —Dendzi

 

“Queerness is strange, different and colorful. Nature is beautiful, and being able to be free is Mother Nature expressing herself.” —Martin Klass

Mina wears Paco Rabanne turtleneck and top

TALENT Martin Klass (Blue), Jules Volfu (XDIRECTN), Freddie Finch (The Squad), Joakim Gjemmestad(Chapter), Mina Serrano and Vanina Rodriguez (The Hive), Conni Bilham, Neveah Blatch, Lucy Coward, Dhillon Kaur, Ace Gangat, and Dendzi (People-File) MAKEUP Crystabel Riley (Julian Watson Agency) HAIR Soichi Inagaki (Art Partner) CASTING DIRECTOR Gabrielle Lawrence (People-File) PRODUCTION Thearcade PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANTS Ed Phillips, Jack Symes DIGITAL TECH Marsý Hild Þórsdóttir STYLING ASSISTANTS Isabella Damazio, Roshni Rai MAKEUP ASSISTANT Chantal Amari HAIR ASSISTANT Masayoshi Fujita PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS Peter Hargroves, Ellen Stewart, Emma Sweeney SPECIAL THANKS Gem Production, Camber Sands Film Office


This article first appeared in Atmos Volume 07: Prism with the headline “Full Spectrum.”


Shop Atmos Volume 07: Prism

A prism is a multidimensional body that refracts, disperses, or in some cases, distorts light. Atmos Volume 07: Prism is a study of light, color, dimension, and perspective. It asks such questions as: How do we find the light in a world that can feel so dark? How do our identities shape the lenses through which we experience reality? How do we move past binary thinking and embrace a more prismatic or nuanced view of the world? How do ideas disseminate and refract? What role does transparency play in that process? What symbolism do specific colors hold, in both the human and natural world?

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