What's wrong is not our sexuality itself but our experience of growing up in a society that still doesn't fully accept that people can be anything other than heterosexual.

Joe Kort, PhD

The journey to self-acceptance is rarely straightforward. Fortunately, many of us have overcome (or are in the process of working through) the shame that often accompanies growing up gay.

I'm Pierre Monnerville, founder of Unapologaytic. I identify as a French Black gay man.

Growing up in Martinique, a French Caribbean island, I witnessed how some family members internalised shame about their Blackness, constantly trying to prove themselves to white people. In the heat of a domestic, my godmother once criticised her husband for being 'too Black' during an argument.

Fortunately, I was raised by those who embraced themselves wholly, without feeling they needed to prove anything to anyone.

I experienced colourism firsthand, where darker skin and natural hair textures were mocked and deemed less attractive.

When I came out, I recognised this same mechanism operating in gay communities, except instead of passing for white, the goal was to be as masculine as possible.

This is evident in 'fem and bottom shaming' and men proudly claiming to be 'straight-acting', revealing deep-rooted internalised homophobia.

While I wasn't bullied for my skin colour (perhaps because my being gay provided an easier target), these are still tender parts that need love and healing...

I believe my experiences with ethnicity and sexuality share striking parallels. Both place me in minority groups in the UK, Europe, and I've observed how some within these communities not only internalise oppression but perpetuate it.

Unapologaytic promotes the fundamental idea that nobody needs to 'pass' for anything. There's no hierarchy of masculinity, ethnicity, or appearance. All expressions of self are equally valid.

I must also acknowledge my privilege. In many countries, the freedom to express ourselves as we do in most of the West simply doesn't exist, and more and more people continue to face harassment and torture because of their sexual orientation.

Unapologaytic is based in Brighton, often dubbed Britain's unofficial gay capital.

Proudly sustainable and ethical

Ethics are very important to me as in my lineage, there are obviously slaves but also slave owners. It’s critical for me to move away from human exploitation and be the proverbial change I want to see in the world.

Most Unapologaytic T-shirts are printed in Northern England on garments made by Stanley/Stella under the supervision of the Fair Wear Foundation.

The foundation works to improve labour conditions for hundreds of thousands of garment workers worldwide.

The new underwear range is made in Turkey with stretchy micro modal, one of the most comfortable and sustainable fabrics for underwear.

What makes FWF special is their uncompromising stance on ethical practices, enforcing:

  • No forced labour
  • No discrimination in employment
  • No child labour
  • Freedom of association and right to collective bargaining
  • Payment of living wage
  • No excessive working hours
  • Safe and healthy working conditions
  • Legally binding employment relationship

Learn more about FWF efforts at fairwear.org.

Unapologaytic prints with eco-friendly inks, which means:

  • No toxins in the ink
  • No animal by-products used
  • Safe for both adults and children
  • OEKO-TEX® certified

Additionally, all our garments are produced using renewable energy, and we ship in biodegradable packaging.

You can read more about how I became so 'psycho' about sustainability.

Soundtrack

I spent a lot of time alone as a child. Music always offered me escapism as I dreamt of better days… I'd like to share with you some of the songs that helped and inspired me then and now.