Free gender-affirming gear a 'life-changer' for rural trans people

Two years ago, when Jace Pierce got his first chest binder, it was a six-month wait.

He requested the item, which compresses the upper body to give the appearance of a flat chest, through his therapist. But the request had to go through a bureaucratic process of funding approvals and letters of recommendation before it got the green light.

Today, thanks to the Transformation Closet, a program on the South Shore that offers free or pay-what-you-can gender-affirming items, Pierce can simply walk into the South Shore Sexual Health office in Bridgewater, N.S., and easily pick up the gear he needs.

"I've gotten binders, packers, packing underwear, things like that. Somebody else that I know has also gotten some gaffs and breast forms so that their chest can appear larger and stuff like that.… The Trans Closet has definitely made a big impact."

Pierce said when he finally got his first binder, he was emotional.

"I cried for like a good hour because my chest was flat. I won't even lie, I cried. I was so happy."

Julie Veinot, the executive director of South Shore Sexual Health, said people in rural areas of Nova Scotia, especially youth, can struggle to get gender-affirming gear. Stores that sell those items are rare, youth may not have a driver's licence or access to a vehicle to get to a store, the gear can be expensive, and ordering online requires a credit card.

"And sadly, some of those youth have parents who are not supportive in them transitioning," Veinot said. "So … getting a parent or caregiver to buy these items is not always an option."

Veinot started the closet two years ago, helping 32 clients the first year.

The number of people using the service, who range from pre-puberty to adults, has only grown since then.

The project was funded the first year by the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia, and the second year by the CUA credit union. Veinot uses the funding to purchase items from reputable vendors, and in some cases, receives extra free gear from the vendors to add to the closet.

The program runs on about $5,000 a year — a considerable proportion of South Shore Sexual Health's core budget of $35,000 a year.

But the closet got a needed influx of funding recently when it won the Helen and Fred Bentley Awards of Excellence, a national award that recognizes innovation in sexual health and leadership. The award comes with $9,000.

"It was really humbling," Veinot said. "It's nice to know that we'll have some stock for the next person that knocks on our door."

Veinot said obtaining items that allow people to authentically express their gender can make a big difference in mental health.

"A lot of people talk about gender dysphoria, which is sort of the discomfort with one's body. And instead of talking about that, there's now the concept of gender euphoria, which is finding joy in your gender."

Using items from a reliable source like the Trans Closet also means youth won't turn to unsafe options, says Pierce.

"Duct tape is a very common one, which is extremely unsafe."

For Pierce, having access to gender-affirming gear helps him feel healthy and comfortable.

"I definitely think it's important for mental health. I found before the Trans Closet started and I was struggling to get gender-affirming items, I definitely did not have good mental health. I was very upset with myself. I didn't like the way my body looked," he said.

"It's been a life-changer for me. I mean, I can comfortably use the men's washroom. I couldn't do that three years ago."