Maggie McGill

By Laura Moffat

Body Liberation, Pronouns &

Queerantine Living

Maggie McGill (she/they) is a queer non-binary plus size fashion and lifestyle blogger, content creator, photographer and writer. She is passionate about body liberation and fat positivity and uses her social platforms to advocate and educate about these topics. Determined to be undefined by their style or gender, Maggie's expression and style is ever-evolving but you can always count on them to have a seasonal touch or two, especially around their favorite holiday, Halloween.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO FASHION BLOGGING AND CONTENT CREATION?

I love an origin story! I've always been interested in storytelling, specifically in the video medium. I received my first camcorder (with tapes and everything!) in the fifth grade and never stopped creating. Right as I entered college, I started a Tumblr blog documenting my fashion and body liberation journey after being inspired by some of my favorite fat YouTubers and bloggers and gained over 10K followers. After I graduated in 2015, I realized I wanted to play a bigger role in the plus size fashion and body liberation movement and saw that there was a transition to Instagram. So I bought my blog domain and a refurbished vlogging camera and, even though I had maybe 200 eyes on me at the time, I began creating like I had 20,000. Five years later and here I am!

WHAT CHALLENGES HAVE YOU FACED IN FINDING YOUR STYLE?

Finding my style has been quite the journey! I identify now with tomboy femme, and I think I've always felt that way, but I certainly spent my undergrad years playing with all the styles imaginable, from hard femme with waist-long hair to soft butch with a Bieber-esque pixie. I spent most of my life in a uniform and college was the first time I could express myself freely but it wasn't until the last few years that I think I've really settled into my style and identity.

Fitting into the boxes of masc/femme was hard for me because I felt like I oscillated so much! My best analogy is that my presentation is like a coin flip: some days it's heads, some days it's tails, and some days it's perpetually spinning in the air. Being fat creates its own challenges in finding style, especially for those who are more masculine of center. Finding pants and shorts without feminine cuts is particularly difficult, and although there are several brands that make androgynous or masculine clothing for bodies like mine, they aren't all size inclusive, and cost a pretty penny.

Fitting into the boxes of masc/femme was hard for me because I felt like I oscillated so much! My best analogy is that my presentation is like a coin flip: some days it's heads, some days it's tails, and some days it's perpetually spinning in the air.

Being fat creates its own challenges in finding style, especially for those who are more masculine of center. Finding pants and shorts without feminine cuts is particularly difficult, and although there are several brands that make androgynous or masculine clothing for bodies like mine, they aren't all size inclusive, and cost a pretty penny.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR PRONOUNS AND YOUR JOURNEY GETTING THERE?

I use both she/her and they/them pronouns with no preference for either, but an occasional they/them makes me feel seen as a non-binary person. I am always read as a cis-woman which is a great privilege and very annoying, but my partner and close friends are amazing at making me feel recognized for the person I am. Being non-binary wasn't really a thing when I was in college so I only started using the term in the last three years or so. I guess in true Libra fashion, I can't just choose one pronoun! And I love having the flexibility.

HOW HAS THE PANDEMIC IMPACTED YOUR DAILY LIFE?

Thankfully my job and housing stability haven't been affected by the pandemic and I know I am so lucky to be able to say that. The biggest change to my everyday life is that I decided to self-isolate with my partner in Philly. We were long distance for three months before the pandemic and this was a weighty decision for us, but I knew I wanted to be with them through it all. We've almost spent 3 months together in queerantine and our relationship has strengthened and grown so much. We have learned a lot about each other. Managing my mental health has also been challenging but with a solid routine and biweekly therapy I'm doing alright. I've also been more physically active than I have been in years, which has been great and also pushing me to face a lot of trauma I have around my body and movement. I'm sure many of us will come out of the pandemic knowing ourselves a little better.

WHAT DOES PRIDE MEAN TO YOU, AND HOW IS THAT DIFFERENT THIS YEAR GIVEN THE CURRENT CLIMATE WITH THE PANDEMIC AND BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT?

For me, pride goes hand-in-hand with living authentically. This is the first pride month I've experienced where my partner is 100% out and loud and proud about being queer, so I feel like I'm experiencing it to the fullest this year, despite the setbacks of the pandemic.

I know I could never understand the sacrifice of the Black trans and queer folks that participated in the Stonewall Riots, but I can certainly fight for the lives of Black trans and queer folks that are alive today, and everyone else in the Black community.

I think queer folks of my age and younger are somewhat disconnected from the painful aspects of the history of the LGBTQ+ community and I'm excited to see these young folks engage and participate in a movement that is adjacent to the purpose of the Stonewall Riots.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE YOUR VOICE BRINGS TO OTHERS?

I hope my voice brings empowerment. Empowerment to live in our bodies with freedom from oppression and the tools to fight for that freedom. Empowerment to live an authentic and joyful life in the bodies we have right now. Empowerment to be active in our relationships, always demand what we deserve, and to throw ourselves into the things we love without shame.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO PEOPLE LOOKING FOR THEIR STYLE?

It is a life-long journey. Don't let anyone's opinion of what you should wear interfere with what you want to wear. Find your style icons and start to pick out pieces from their looks that you can incorporate into your own wardrobe. Find your signature bits of flair and wear them with pride. Don't hold back.