Dress-wearing Olympic boxer Harry Garside speaks candidly about embracing femininity and breaking down stereotypes
Harry Garside has made headlines for his incredible boxing skills and eye for stunning clothes.
Now the 25-year-old Olympic boxer has openly spoken out about embracing his femininity as a straight man and breaking down harmful stereotypes.
After rocking an Armani skirt at the GQ Man of the Year Awards, the athlete told the Herald Sun on Friday that he wants to support “individuality” and “uniqueness” in people.
Harry Garside has made headlines for his incredible boxing skills and eye for stunning clothes. Now the 25-year-old Olympic boxer has openly spoken out about embracing his femininity as a straight man and breaking down harmful stereotypes
“I really believe that as a society we should support individuality, uniqueness and the herd that supports that, not the herd that supports people who feel like they need to conform and be like everyone else,” he said Publication.
“I think you realize that being different as an adult is actually a superpower when you’re unique, but when you’re younger you feel the need to conform.
“I felt throughout my childhood that this doesn’t have to be too different or you become isolated.”
After rocking an Armani skirt at the GQ Man of the Year Awards, the athlete told the Herald Sun on Friday that he wants to support “individuality” and “uniqueness” in people. Pictured with girlfriend Ashley Roscoe
Garside said he just wanted to “show young people that it’s really beautiful to walk in your own essence and try things out”.
It comes after the rising boxing star revealed the life-changing moment that gave him the inspiration to break all stereotypes about how a boxer should act.
Garside is a skilled counter-puncher who has made a huge impression on pundits since turning pro last year. He is known for his penchant for wearing nail polish and dresses as part of his determination to be himself no matter what people say.
Garside said he just wanted to “show young people that it’s really beautiful to walk in your own essence and try things out”.
He admitted he was “acting like a jock” growing up in working-class Lilydale, in far north-east Melbourne, when his outlook on life changed in an instant thanks to a school visit run by the Reach Foundation, which runs personal development workshops for teenagers.
“These people come to school and they wear the most unique, weird clothes, they act really weird, they have the weirdest haircuts, and they just live their essence,” he recalled.
“They took us through a workshop that day… that’s probably the first inspiration of that and from there it just grew and blossomed and turned into this weird beast that’s here now.”
As of last year, Garside had seven Australian national boxing championships to its name. Pictured fighting Layton McFerran during King of the Castle Fight Night
As of last year, Garside had seven Australian national boxing championships to its name.
It was a far cry from the early days at Lilydale Youth Club, where he was often outclassed by rivals his age.
But through perseverance, Garside was eventually able to hold his own when he put on gloves.
It was a far cry from the early days at Lilydale Youth Club, where he was often outclassed by rivals his age. But through perseverance, Garside was eventually able to hold his own when he donned gloves