Dress-wearing Olympic boxer Harry Garside opens up about embracing femininity

Harry Garside has made headlines for his incredible skill as a boxer and his eye for stunning dresses. 

Now the Olympic boxer, 25, has opened up about embracing his femininity as a straight man and breaking down harmful stereotypes. 

After rocking an Armani skirt to the GQ Man of the Year Awards, the athlete told Herald Sun on Friday he wants to support 'individuality' and 'uniqueness' in people.

Harry Garside has made headlines for his incredible skill as a boxer and his eye for stunning dresses. Now the Olympic boxer, 25, has opened up about embracing his femininity as a straight man and breaking down harmful stereotypes

'I genuinely believe that as a society we should be supporting individuality, uniqueness and the herd supporting that, rather than the herd supporting people who feel they need to conform and be like everyone else,' he told the publication.

'I think you realise as an adult having different uniqueness is actually a superpower, but when you're younger you feel this need to conform.

'I felt that throughout my childhood, this need to not want to be too different or else you're going to get isolated.'

After rocking an Armani skirt to the GQ Man of the Year Awards, the athlete told Herald Sun on Friday he wants to support 'individuality' and 'uniqueness' in people. Pictured with girlfriend Ashley Roscoe

Garside went on to say he just wants to 'show young people that it's actually beautiful to walk in your own essence and try things'.

It comes after the rising boxing star revealed the life-changing moment which gave him the inspiration to break every stereotype surrounding how a boxer should act.

A slick counter-puncher who has made a huge impression on experts since turning pro last year, Garside is well known for his fondness for wearing nail polish and dresses as part of his determination to be himself no matter what people say.

Garside went on to say he just wants to 'show young people that it's actually beautiful to walk in your own essence and try things'

He admitted he was 'acting like a bit of a jock' while growing up in working-class Lilydale in Melbourne's outer north-east when his outlook on life changed in an instant thanks to a school visit from the Reach Foundation, which runs personal development workshops for young people.

'These people show up to school and they're wearing the most unique, strange clothes, they're acting really funny, they've got the weirdest haircuts and they're just walking in their essence,' he recalled.

'They ran us through a workshop that day... that's probably the first inspiration from it and from then it has just grown and blossomed and turned into this weird beast that is here now.'

As of last year, Garside had seven Australian national boxing championships to his name. Pictured fighting Layton McFerran during the King of the Castle Fight Night

As of last year, Garside had seven Australian national boxing championships to his name.

It was a far cry from the early days at the Lilydale Youth Club, where he was often outclassed by rivals his age.

But perseverance saw Garside eventually hold his own when donning gloves.

It was a far cry from the early days at the Lilydale Youth Club, where he was often outclassed by rivals his age. But perseverance saw Garside eventually hold his own when donning gloves