Cal State Fullerton’s LGBT Queer Resource Center has opened a Gender Affirming Closet to provide a free, on-campus clothing resource for transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming students.
“The Gender Affirming Closet is a resource where students can feel empowered to express themselves authentically,” said Nat Betancourt Arellano, coordinator of the LGBT Queer Resource Center.
Students can access the closet by making an appointment through the center’s website or at the center itself, located in Pollak Library, Room 189.
Betancourt Arellano discusses the need for this resource on campus.
Why open the Gender Affirming Closet on campus?
The Gender Affirming Closet provides safe and inclusive opportunities for queer students to find clothing. Many transgender and gender non-conforming individuals may experience prejudice, harassment and embarrassment when shopping for clothes in public; they may be scrutinized for purchasing clothes that do not “match” their gender. Additionally, often individuals may not have the ability to freely shop for clothes that most align with their expression due to fear of being rejected by their home environment. We’re addressing this issue so that Cal State Fullerton’s intersectional queer student population has access to clothes without gender discrimination or shame. While gender identity is an internal experience, gender expression is a way for queer people to manifest their creativity and identities. In providing options for clothing, we hope to enable queer students’ freedom of expression.
What clothing and other wardrobe items will be available?
The majority, if not all, of the clothes in the Gender Affirming Closet come from donations. Donations are highly encouraged; however, the center’s website will explain what type of apparel we are currently accepting, not currently accepting and never accepting. Stained, torn and poor-quality clothing will never be accepted. Depending on what we have in stock in our closet, we may ask for less of a certain type of apparel. Other categories of apparel are jackets, dresses, shirts, blouses, jeans, leggings, open-buttoned shirts, shoes and binders of any size. Binders are used to flatten someone’s breast using a constructive material in order to feel more comfortable with their body. Upon donation, clothes are organized by type of apparel, followed by size.
What is the process for students to shop for clothing?
While the Gender Affirming Closet operates, in general, on an “equitable over equal” approach, we also want to ensure as many students as possible have access to our stock. For that reason, we allow students to take home up to two outfits per month for free. The center does not police students regarding the parameters of an “outfit.” Students are asked to use their own discretion and honor system to define for themselves what constitutes an outfit. We ask that individuals please be mindful of the entire queer student population on CSUF’s campus, as they are all entitled to use the Gender Affirming Closet as well.
For more information or to donate clothing items, visit the LGBT Queer Resource Center website or contact Nat Betancourt Arellano at natbetancourt@fullerton.edu.