Rachel (she/her)
“I found this copper silk Max Mara dress in my local charity shop. I stood in the shop stroking the material, hoping it would fit me. It’s so soft with a slight roughness and has a gorgeous sheen.
“I love the way the bias cut falls and the way the long, backless dress looks next to my square jawline, short hair and shaved undercut, and arm tattoos. I can imagine I’m some kind of eccentric star woven together from masc and fem elements.
“It demands to be worn with enormous platform heels, and it isn’t at all practical! I cycled to the shoot in my black cord dungarees (which I also love) and then changed. But it feels amazing to wear and I feel joyful in it.”
Rachel is a late-diagnosed autistic woman who lived for a long time without knowing what it could be like to be herself. After a long-term relationship ended, she chose to move to Brighton in March 2023, despite knowing almost no one there. Determined to find community and connection, she threw herself into new experiences.
Living in Brighton has helped Rachel embrace her queer, neurodivergent identity. She’s found friendship, love, care, and the joy of feeling at home. Being queer, to her, is about taking the chance to seize the present, instead of losing a little of yourself every day.
She expresses herself through both style and movement, embracing her neurodivergent presence with pride. Whether it’s a belted army coat or a flowing dress, she wears what feels right.
Rachel feels deeply seen when someone calls her a friend. Connection didn’t always come easily, so every genuine bond is something she treasures.
Her message to queer kids: You matter, you will find your people and your place in the world, even if right now it feels like that won’t ever happen.
This is UNCUT — a raw, striking portrait series by award-winning photographer Chris Jepson capturing the power and pride of Queer Joy, shot in a barber’s chair. No filters, no retouching, no compromise. Just bold, beautiful people taking up space exactly as they are.