A hairstylist in the small Ohio city of Chillicothe is working on building a more inclusive environment for the transgender community by offering gender-affirming products.
TransTape is a gender-affirming product that allows a user to bind and flatten their chest, thus appearing more masculine. Chillicothe native Gregory Routt, owner of GMR Hair and co-owner of Salon Niche in the Appalachian community, began providing free TransTape at his business after a teenage salon client faced gender dysphoria due to a delayed online order of TransTape.
“I didn’t want people to be without again,” Routt said. “I wanted people to know, within this town, that if something does happen like that, you got a place you can hit us up. You go ahead and order what you need to order, but if you got a few days where you’re in a pinch, come see us. We can take care of you.”
The 14-year-old transgender student, who requested anonymity, needed the tape before leaving for summer camp. In a rush, the student’s mother reached out to several local organizations in Chillicothe for help, but she could not find an organization that provided TransTape. She sought help from the local First Capital Pride Coalition (FCPC). The organization attempted to order TransTape, but the delivery was also delayed.
Although the student struggled, he said he is grateful that his story could ultimately help others.
“I think if I was at home when it happened or if there was a resource nearby when it happened, it would have been a lot better,” the student said. “Even though I had to go through that moment of suffering, it’s helping people now.”
FCPC, of which Routt is a board member, sponsors TransTape at three Chillicothe salons: Salon Niche, Castle & Company Salon and Making Waves Hair & Color Studio. The product is available in the bathrooms for discreet use. All three salons provide options to accommodate all skin tones, along with instructions on how to use the product.
Free access is limited everywhere
Liam Gallagher is the Director of Center Based Programs at the Kaleidoscope Youth Center (KYC) in Columbus. KYC provides free binders and gaffs – undergarments meant to flatten or compress the genital area – to young people up to age 24. He said the need for gender-affirming products is growing steadily, but few programs throughout the nation provide similar products.
Obtaining a chest binder is often not as easy as walking into a local store. Most stores do not carry such products. Online, the products are often sold at a high price point. The products are generally not covered by insurance because they are considered a non-essential item.
Gallagher said KYC began offering binders and gaffs after an LGBTQ+ discussion group brought up the topic of chest-binding. Thanks to a 2018 donation from the Nina West Foundation, KYC’s free gender-affirming products were distributed locally. The program has since grown to offer help internationally.
After a TikToker posted an unboxing video of a KYC binder, demand skyrocketed from about 100 to 150 requests per year to 600. KYC had to turn off its online order form temporarily so it could keep up, and is currently working to reopen the order form. The current waitlist is about three months long.
KYC is looking for more funding sources to continue—and hopefully expand—the program.
“Right now, we’re seeing so many restrictions around trans health care and, unfortunately, a lot of misinformation,” Gallagher said. “It’s incredibly difficult to access these kinds of resources … It’s important, now more than ever, to have these gender-affirming items available.” 🔥
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