Reflections on Pride Month: Living Authentically and Holding Space for All

My whole life, I’ve been open about my sexual orientation. Even as a child, I knew something about me was different—beautifully, unapologetically different. I was fortunate to grow up in a space where I felt safe enough to express this truth, to explore the full range of my human possibility, and to live transparently.

I’ve always been at ease within both the masculine and feminine realms. I never felt out of place in masculinity—and I fully embody my feminine spirit body. That comfort, that duality, that expansiveness—that is my non-binary truth.

I speak this aloud now because in our culture, particularly in fashion and beauty, we often like to pretend these layers don’t exist. But they do. Gender has always been a social construct. Historically, men wore heels, lace, wigs, silk—expressions that today are often gender-policed. So why deny what has always been?

The world’s social construct has shifted, but not entirely in favor of truth. So how do I—a non-binary person—run a business in what often feels like a conservative, linear space? How do I connect with others who are also gendered, often invisibly, in a system not made for them either?

This is my story of ascension.

Because of my journey, I now hold a space—a control room of sorts—where all are welcome. Even those with opposing views. I can hold that. I’ve made peace with that. My work, my mission, is to offer space for experience, healing, and authenticity.

In a world that often feels like it stands against me, I’ve chosen to remain open—to live louder, more radically, and more graciously as a non-binary, queer person.

And yes, I know not everyone will understand. But I invite those who may question this to consider how often elements of queer culture—our style, language, and creativity—are embraced, even celebrated, in mainstream spaces, while the people behind them are too often overlooked. It's worth reflecting on that tension.

Still, I’ll continue speaking. I’ll continue creating space, even for those confined to their linear thinking. Because I believe that self-esteem, self-expression, and liberation are more powerful than any political or societal binary.

Let’s not be fooled by systems designed to divide us.

And to those who minimize the role of hairdressers—know this: we are not just stylists. We are emotional engineers. We hold space. We carry stories. We wield tools of transformation with no official degree, but the mastery of heart and intuition. 

This is my reflection. I share it with open hands, for everyone.

– Luis

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