This work is called “I Shall Not Blend In.” It is a piece that symbolizes women’s ongoing battle with a society that tries to shut them down. The restrictive traditional Victorian style is a metaphor for how societal norms cage women and pressure them to conform. The camo print represents the way women are hidden from history and renown for their achievements. Despite these constraints, women find a way to be seen and heard, just like the character portrayed by this camo-Victorian ensemble.

I was born and raised in the liberal state of California, yet I still see rampant sexism all around. When I worked as a scientist, I was treated with disrespect by male labmates, even those with less experience or qualifications. I've been fortunate enough to be raised in an environment that allowed me to become an independent thinker, and at times, a fighter. Maybe sometimes I rub people the wrong way, but I think it's important to think of social conflicts as opportunities to engage in meaningful conversations.

I think it's time for women to stop being submissive when asked to remain silent and "just be nice." It is time for us to stop letting men speak for us. When society demands that we blend in, we must instead stand up and stand out.

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The dress is a collaboration between me and an anonymous San Diego artist. I adopted the half-finished costume from a friend of the artist. I added some layers to the dress, petticoats, a bustle from my friend Marty Ornish, gloves, and the bonnet.

What’s really cool is that the original creator of the dress chose to use two different kinds of camo print. The obvious one is the green one, called “U.S. Woodland.” The other one, used in the underlayer of the dress, is “Desert Battle Dress Uniform” (DBDU), a.k.a. "Chocolate Chip." It was invented in 1962 for sandy desert conditions when the U.S. anticipated war in the Middle East. The design was shelved because that war didn't happen. But it was brought back in 1979 because the peace didn't last. Chocolate Chip was replaced by Desert Camouflage Uniform (DCU) a.k.a. "Coffee Stain" in the early 90s. Anyway, that's probably more than you care to know about camo. It's certainly more than I thought there was to know. The things one learns when one adopts upcycled material!

Photographers: Chris Barbour and Tito Mena