Do you know what gender-affirming gear is? For those unfamiliar with the term, gender-affirming gear is a garment or similar type of item used to reaffirm one’s gender presentation and assist with feeling more comfortable in the body.
Common types of gear include gaffs, breast forms, thigh/hip pads, packers, STPs, trans tape, and binders. These items can be life-saving. However, accessing gender-affirming gear can be difficult for many reasons: be it a financial barrier, unsupportive parents, or lack of places to purchase items.
When we say gender-affirming gear saves lives, we mean it quite literally.
The Transformation Closet, a program run through Sexual Health Nova Scotia, is assisting with closing these gaps by providing free gender-affirming gear to folks throughout Nova Scotia.
When we say gender-affirming gear saves lives, we mean it quite literally. Beyond easing the mental duress of gender dysphoria, the reality is that being visibly trans is not always safe. Although notions of "passing" are complicated, these items hold varying importance. They can be protective, necessary, and a way to access gender euphoria.
The Transformation Closet ran its first iteration in late 2022, coming to a close on March 31, 2023. During that time, they provided over 300 people with free gender-affirming items. In the fall of 2023, they brought on Wren Tian to fill the new position as the Transformation Closet Coordinator, a dedicated role to oversee the program. Since then, they have reopened the closet, with over 65 submissions received on opening night.
Community members may access the closet through an online order form, requests via email, or by dropping into one of the satellite centre's closets. There are currently eight on-site closets sprinkled throughout the province, some of which double as pick-up locations, run by various sexual health and community centres.
With an increase in cost of living and waitlist times of 6-10 months long for gender-affirming care (hormone replacement therapy, surgery, other medical interventions) at the primary sexual health centres in the province, low-barrier access programs are only surging in importance. Although a handful of organizations throughout the province offer free or low-cost gear, they all specifically service youth (25-30 and under) or their organization’s mandated clientele, making the Transformation Closet one of the only programs available to anyone of any age.
There are currently eight on-site closets sprinkled throughout the province, some of which double as pick-up locations, run by various sexual health and community centres.
The Transformation Closet is always looking for gently used gear or monetary donations to help continue the life-span of this much needed program.
Reach out to Wren at transformationclosetshns@gmail.com with any questions, requests, donations, partnership opportunities... or just to say, "Hi!"
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