The Galleria Macy's Will Celebrate Trans Pride With a Fashion Show
Pride Month is in full swing, and brands everywhere are unraveling their rainbow flags in an annual show of support. It's nearly impossible to walk past a store without seeing some symbol of corporate solidarity for the historically marginalized LGTBQI communityâand trust, we're not bemoaning this. But, as critics far and wide have noted, it takes more than splashing ROY G BIV on your logo for the month of June to be considered an ally.
Me @ companies during pride pic.twitter.com/Dv6uNwnYvx
â Bryan Russell Smith (@bryan_r_smith) May 31, 2019
That said, we must commend those who go beyond slacktivism and actuallyâgaspâinteract with and promote the community they're purporting to advocate for. Enter Macy's, a big box store that's actually doing more than commercializing the push for equality. Like plenty of other retailers, Macy's is partnering with LGBTQ-supportive charities (in this case, The Trevor Project) and donating a portion of sales from INC's limited-edition, three-piece Pride capsule collection throughout the month. That's kind of the bare minimum these days, though, which is why we're happy to report that the local Macy's, here in the Galleria, is taking it a step further with its 10th annual Pride + Joy campaign, this year featuring a Pride fashion show starring a full cast of trans models.

Ashley Kahn
Image: Courtesy of Ashley Kahn
Local model and trans activist Jessica Zyrie will host the in-store event alongside wardrobe stylist Ashley Kahn tomorrow, June 13, from 6â8 p.m. Members of Houston's trans community will be front and center as models don Pride-inspired looks based on this season's trends. The celebration continues after the show with makeup tutorials, a Ralph Lauren photo booth, complimentary swag, and a live DJ spinning Pride anthems (so we expect plenty of Mariah, Britney, and Whitney).
"I believe in encouraging and giving confidence to people through clothing no matter their age, race, gender, or sexuality," says Kahn. "I'm super excited to work with Jessica, and I love that Macy's is celebrating trans individuals. That's a beautiful thing to be a part of."Â