I know a lot's been said already but truly, I felt both extremely anxious and extremely proud watching this week's Buzzcocks episode. I'm not fussed by Stacy Solomon, she's just not educated and tends to talk before thinking, which a lot of people do, but that casual ignorance is such a part of daily life for people who don't dress or present in a traditional way that it can be really crushing, even when it's not malicious. No matter how confident you are, how used to it you are, or how much you love your dress sense and how comfortable your preferred clothes make you feel as a person, it's still scary being true to yourself because you know eventually you'll be laughed at or insulted or worse.
So for me, seeing Noel come out in his dress and look so happy and proud of himself, made me feel really proud too. I really like that dress and think it suits him beautifully - it's not just a dress, it's an item of designer clothing that he works so well by a designer who deserves our recognition. And like to think that it's one more chance for people to experience something different and wonderful. It's one little, pointy booted, pigeon-toed step in the direction of a more accepting and openly diverse world.