09 Jun I Support Living Authentically

By Dana Marlowe

As we march into Pride month, I Support the Girls is lifting up transgender and non-binary visibility and beauty while pointing out there is a heartbreaking connection between being transgender and being without stable housing: Twenty percent of trans people experience homelessness.

According to the National Center for Transgender Equality, transgender and non-binary people are more likely to be unsheltered than the general population. People identifying as transgender are more likely to be youth and tend to experience more health issues and violence while homeless.

I Support the Girls has always received DMs, emails, and phone calls from transgender people requesting resources—in rural areas where it’s not safe to buy pads as a trans man and urban settings where being a trans woman on the streets is downright dangerous. The requests come in from youth and adults, from people who have always known and people who are just now beginning to live their truths.

We developed the Slash Kit for them. Named after the slash between pronouns, these kits contain affirming undergarments, toiletries and more for transgender or non-binary people who are homeless or financially unable to live authentically.

The overlap between homelessness, domestic violence and being transgender is tragic, so access to transition-related and gender-affirming products can save lives. The Slash Kit offers the ability to manage your period with leakproof underwear or a cup, removing the necessity of going to a store to buy feminine hygiene products. Bras that fit comfortably. Binders for those who no longer use bras.

The Slash Kit is meant to not only provide essential items, but also offer a connection. After an exceedingly isolating year, receiving something in the mail—something customized for you—lets you know someone cares. L.J. explains so well how these small but essential items are so important: “I’ve always known I was meant to be a boy, but I was too afraid to tell anyone for fear of being made fun of. I cut my hair and started wearing boy clothes at 13 but didn’t officially come out until three weeks ago. My family doesn’t support me at all. I really wanted a binder and was so excited to see your package includes one. Thank you!”

Our hope is that a little support goes a long way, and we are so grateful to partners like Knix, Rael, Pepper and Amazon, who have generously donated products to make the Slash Kits possible.

If you or someone you love is experiencing homelessness and struggling financially under the burden of living authentically, please request a Slash Kit.

At the end of the day, pronouns don’t define us; we define them. Whatever that definition is for you, we support you.

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Dana Marlowe (She / Her / Hers) is the founder, and executive director of I Support the Girls, which collects donations of new and gently used bras, individually sealed tampons and maxi pads to distribute to girls and women experiencing homelessness across the U.S. and globally. Since 2015, I Support the Girls has collected and distributed 1,116,400 bras and 11,344,000 menstrual hygiene products.