Renee Periat

Growing up in a California town of less than 500 people in the pre-internet days and with no television, Renée Periat “had no clue there were options outside the gender binary.” Instead, she felt awkward, not fitting in with the boys or girls in school. After high school, she moved away to San Luis Obispo, and “discovered there was a world of endless identity options waiting for me on the other side.” When she became aware of androgyny and gender neutrality, “I had a huge inner awakening,” Periat says. “Finally, everything clicked into place and for the first time in my life, I could clearly see who I was.” With her newfound self-awareness, clothes shopping became a hurdle. Periat was drawn to outfits that confused people about her gender. But there wasn’t much out there. “After too many failed shopping trips in the men’s and boys’ department, I decided to take the lack of gender-neutral clothing options into my own hands.” In 2015, Periat launched Androgynous Fox, a clothing brand making classic tees, tanks, button-ups, and accessories. It definitely struck home for many in the LGBTQ community. Since then, the company has quadrupled in size, and is about to release an underwear set, shorts, and a “much-needed androgynous bathing suit.” Periat’s been getting tons of positive feedback, and it’s been rewarding “knowing that I’m helping people feel comfortable in their own skin.” —SEJ