Seen

Growing up gay in Kalamazoo was not a walk in the park Between bullies at school and brothers at home, let's just say it was dark I literally hid in a closet so they wouldn't see me cry Then one day on a rack at a corner store a magazine caught my eye The girl on the cover looked back at me as if to say, hey, I know who you'll be I read the whole issue right there by the clerk when my runway in hand, my heart went to work Seen, suddenly seen, in every page of that magazine A part of me nobody recognized, yes, reflected in the Yves Saint Laurent silhouette Seen, suddenly seen, as more than a shy and awkward teen Runway gave me a glimpse of a world where someday I could be seen I studied designers in detail, kept clippings under my bed I pretended to play with my GI Joes but made them new clothes instead At 18, I ran to Manhattan, got hired at a runway like you Miranda looked over a layout I'd made and said, "Nigel, that'll do" Thirty years later I'm working among the legends I lived for when I was young Got a job, my dreams, a partner I love and a life that fits like a Lagerfeld glove Seen, finally seen, now I'm part of that magazine Dressing up icons the way I know how No hiding in closets, I create them now Seen, finally seen, crowned as prince by the fashion queen Runway lets me express to the world the way I want to be seen So sure there's an ugly side to this business Can be cutthroat, often extreme But it's worth all the stress, it's worth every cost If a copy of Runway finds a boy who feels lost And he feels seen, suddenly seen If he could learn from this magazine That being a queer kid's not some kind of crime In fact, it's pretty fucking sublime Seen, suddenly seen Can you imagine what that could mean? Fashion opens your eyes to the world I want him to see what I've seen I want you to see what I've seen