For a long time, we at the Glitter Box have been searching for a term that accurately describes the artists and makers whose work we sell and promote. We know that language matters.
One of the most beautiful things about language is how it constantly evolves and expands, and as a business, we are also constantly evolving and expanding, constantly trying to do and be better. This is why we have revised our mission statement:
Glitter Box N.O. is an independent retail space and maker community on a mission to enrich our communities through the economic empowerment of marginalized genders (or MaGes). These groups have always formed the bedrock of holistic approaches to change, their empowerment is paramount to greater equity, sustainability, and growth for the larger community.
Our online shop and brick-and-mortar space are filled with one-of-kind, handmade gifts, artful offerings, and items focused on empowering people to connect with themselves and the community at large.
We showcase artists and makers of marginalized genders, host workshops, and support social justice groups in an effort to cultivate celebration and action within New Orleans and beyond. With the generous support of the HLH Properties and the Heymann Foundation, 5% of all sales are donated to local and national nonprofits that align with our mission.
We hope you’ll join us in our commitment to helping MaGes experience joy, fulfillment, and empowerment.
We feel the term marginalized genders encompasses anyone who is not a straight cisgender male, and therefore feels like a more accurate representation of the wide array of artists and makers whose work is available at the shop instead of simply saying “women and non-binary people” when we mean trans and cis women, as well as all trans, Two-Spirit, and nonbinary people.
We cannot create a more equitable and just world without dismantling this false binary and shifting power to these disenfranchised communities.
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Helpful definitions
Cisgender: a person whose gender identity is the same as the sex they were assigned at birth
Non-binary: gender identities that lie outside of the gender binary
Two-spirit: many Indigenous cultures recognize third and fourth alternative gender statuses that encompass masculine, feminine, and unique traits. The term aims to reflect the different gender identities within the two spiritual communities, where third and fourth gender roles have ceremonial and spiritual significance (Source: IHS)
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