It only takes a look around the internet and our society to see that the world we live in is changing, as it always does. But what seems to be the latest hot-button and successful movement in America is the right to identify gender on a scale. Within the last three years, the LGBT+ movement has made leaps and bounds in becoming a safe and acceptable lifestyle, with widespread acceptance increasing among public opinion.

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As gender fluidity becomes increasingly acceptable, so does the culture and trends that are linked to it, such as dressing to fit your personality and sexuality, rather than your gender. Fashion - the fastest trendsetting business in history - has already jumped at the opportunity to fill the needs of those breaking the mold.  

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As more people represent how they feel on the inside, the need for more diverse apparel has been developed for the outside. The need to fill gaps that are surfacing is occurring, not only in fashion but all over the marketplace, and is presenting a challenge for all businesses and their marketers.

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It’s not a trend or a small shift, but rather a new and upcoming way of life. Madison Page, a 25-year-old model, told the New York Times, “People think it’s a style, but it isn’t," when discussing her gender fluidity. Page believes that as industries try to fill increasing demand for variety in their products that embrace the spectrum, they have to ensure they are catering to a flourishing lifestyle, not a temporary trend. The J. Walter Thompson Innovation Group, a “think tank”, has reported that “50 percent [of people today] personally know someone who identifies as gender fluid”.

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But, what comes as a refreshing taste of freedom for some provides problems for others. Existing businesses that commonly market to the binary segments find themselves struggling to market to the new loosely identified spectrum.

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The spectrum being the culprit here, star hairdresser Guido Palau, who recently worked on the Marc Jacobs spring 2019 runway show explains, “There is not one idea of beauty or gender any more”. This freedom and lack of confinement has put some marketers up against a wall as they try to find ways to market to such a diverse audience. No longer can they rely on the traditional roles of male and female, straight or gay - they are now forced to throw away the playbook and start over.

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As lines blur and past philosophies are crumpled, brands who are taking advantage of the gaps popping up thanks to new identity roles, are focusing on who we are - not our genders. They are focusing on the personalities and lifestyles of consumers based on habits, not roles.

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It’s no longer about creating brands for the everyday woman or man it's about building brands for the active, the naturalists, the busy, the music-oriented, and the like. The marketers are focusing on filling the needs of those who identify on a spectrum, and doing so by ignoring the spectrum altogether and concentrating on the actual person.

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Next time you're perusing through your favorite brands' social media or shopping online, take a harder look. Are they changing how they market themselves? Are they catering to the rise of fluidity or are these people being left behind?