I am blown away by the genuinely open and honest willingness Terry has for banishing fear when it comes to one’s struggle for identity. By exposing all sides of himself in his style, he is consciously trying to blur the gender lines between men and women in fashion and the idea that certain things belong to one or the other. Terry’s signature “masculine” bold eyebrows are a compliment to the more “feminine” twist of his hair pulled up (very Frida Kahlo), and the one-piece handmade lace bodysuit (inspired by Prada ‘s F/W ’08 collection) juxtaposed against the childhood teddy bear on his bed reveals a confidence to be both strong and soft. Terry feels empowered both by exposing his chest and wearing heels, and attributes a feeling of greater freedom to be himself in his move to San Francisco from New York, where he is less frenzied and judged and more able to listen to what's inside. Someone I interviewed the other day for the site mentioned the need for society to begin thinking more 21st and less 20th-century, not just out of the box, but smashing it instead. Terry’s tattoo of a cross and roses on his chest (close to his heart) expresses a desire to share and learn with others. To me, the fact that he can turn adversity into understanding makes him a modern day Renaissance warrior.

Check out Terry's Facebook page.