How Art and Mental Health Intersect in the Dressember Fight Against Human Trafficking

12 very different participants share their perspectives ...

I spent the first half of December interviewing individual participants in Dressember, which raises awareness about fighting human trafficking around the world. The people who participate are all from very different backgrounds. Here is a roundup of the answers people gave to the question of “In what ways do you think creativity and mental health intersect through the Dressember project?” See all full interviews here.

“I have seen some very creative advocates create outfits based on different movie/TV characters. I love seeing those!” - Kristen

“I think it's beneficial to us all to keep learning and to try new things for our overall health.”

“I think Dressember is a good reminder that predators don't actually only target provocatively dressed women or women who flaunt their beauty. The victims are innocent and usually trust too much. It's important that we are compassionate towards victims.” - Brenda

“If you are happy with what you wear then it boosts your mental health.” - Claire

“I think we need creative outlets in our lives. Our brain craves creativity. This is a good way to end the year!” - Library Lady Life

“I think it's very important to let creativity take hold when fundraising for any cause. If you're not expressively enjoying what you're doing, no one will see how important the cause is to you. In terms of mental health, I've found that "fun generosity" is actually extremely beneficial to my mental health. In addition to the joy I get whenever I receive a new donation, my Christmas gift to my best friend (Sylvia Schneider) is always a donation to her Dressember campaign, which is an incredible feeling for the both of us!” - Naomi

“For myself personally, I've seen creativity and mental health intersect in the way I approach Dressember. During Dressember in 2020 I had COVID and though I wore the dress each day, my posts didn't always include pictures of myself which is not my norm. During Dressember in 2022, I was experiencing pretty severe postpartum depression and anxiety and so when I had episodes of that I was absolutely "going through the motions" of posting about Dressember and human trafficking. I think we are able to see the strength we have in still showing up when the going gets tough for us. I am proud to look back and see that while I struggled, I was able to recognize that I'm not the only one and did what I could to support those individuals and myself.” - Kat

“For many creatives, the process of stringing words or images or outfits together is a huge part of mental health. I need a creative outlet as much as I need sleep and nutrition. The community of supportive women I’ve met through this initiative is noteworthy, too. It feels nurturing to be seen, cheered on, and supported by likeminded women I would have likely never met otherwise.” - Kristy

“The online side of it is actually pretty creative. Learning how to make reels, stories, infographics, and writing up posts is something that takes creativity and skill. Planning events to promote Dressember and involve others definitely takes creativity also.” - Justine

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How are some ways that you see art and mental health intersecting in Dressember?

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“There are a lot of creative ways to participate - I am always in awe of what people come up with! And I think what makes it extra meaningful is when participants are honest with their campaigns. A good Dressember post or campaign doesn’t have to be perfectly curated, it can reflect who you are and where you are. Sometimes that means using provided captions and graphics. Sometimes that means you have a well thought out and planned campaign. What matters the most (in all activism) is finding the sustainable balance between creatively participating and taking care of yourself so that you can keep participating.” - Christy

“Dressember gives a lot of people an avenue to showcase their creativity in a way that they might not feel comfortable with outside of the campaign. As well as providing an opportunity to feel the personal benefit and human connection of helping people in need.” - The Bearded Ladies Team

My response:

• The clothing chosen and the way it’s styled might reflect the person’s mental health that day

• Alternatively, sometimes you can alter your mental health through your choices so the clothing might affect, rather than reflect, your mental health

• Many people find that dresses have loaded symbolic meanings that might be vulnerable for them and the project can be a way to creatively work through that

• People participating in the project share their personal stories which is a creative narrative act of activism that often also intersects with their own mental health

• Creatively participating in Dressember raises awareness about the mental health issues associated with human trafficking

10% of all December Substack income goes to Dressember. For every five new annual subscriptions, I’ll immediately support another Substacker in their growth.