Your friends are fundraising. Don't miss out, opt in.

President and Fellows of Middlebury College

MiddSTART - Gender Affirming Community Closet

The Gender Affirming Community Closet aims to provide trans garments like chest binders and gaffs, alongside daily clothing of varying size, season, and formality to allow students to explore their gender expression free of cost and stigma.
US$320
raised of US$4,000 target
Closes on 15/12/2024
RCN 030179298

Story

The Gender Affirming Community Closet is a collaborative project with The Prism Center, Queers and Allies, and Will Beckerman, an individual trans student. It is also supported by the Innovation Hub.

The Closet will be a resource housed in one of the closets of the newly opening Prism Center. It will contain transgender garments such as chest binders and gaffs (tucking underwear), alongside daily clothing of varying size, season, and formality. It will provide clothing to students exploring their identity and expression free of cost allowing them to experiment with different “gendered” and “non gendered” clothing without added cost or stigma many trans youth feel in shopping.

Based on data from last year's zeitgeist survey, which surveyed about half of Middlebury students, 5% of students are nonbinary, about 1% are trans men, and about .5% are trans women. This project is aimed primarily at them and others exploring gender expression, though could serve other students who may be feeling body dysmorphia or dysphoria of some type that could be helped through wardrobe change, such as cis women who bind. Students have already expressed a need, with 25 students filling out a resource request form in only two weeks that it was up. Making these resources available will help support their wellbeing and the wellbeing of other students in the future.

Our goal is to cover the costs of setting up and organizing the Closet and the cost of trans undergarments available at the Prism Center. Binders cost $37 each and gaffs cost $27 each. We hope to provide these in a range of sizes and colors to accommodate all body types and skin tones. The funds raised will go toward meeting the existing need for these garments, as well as creating a sustainable closet space for future years.

About the charity

Through a commitment to immersive learning, we prepare students to lead engaged, consequential, and creative lives, contribute to their communities, and address the world’s most challenging problems.

Donation summary

Total raised
US$320.00
Online donations
US$320.00
Offline donations
US$0.00
Direct donations
US$320.00
Donations via fundraisers
US$0.00

* Charities pay a small fee for our service. Find out how much it is and what we do for it.