Congratulations to Danielle, Alex, and Rachael! Each of them has been awarded $1,000 in financial assistance towards their gender-affirming hair removal services.
The Electrolysis Support Program provides free or greatly discounted permanent hair removal services for trans femme folks who cannot otherwise afford them. We received 100+ applications this cycle and were able to select three recipients:
Alex L. is a trans woman of color from Colorado. She shared that as a child, “I was a military brat and therefore never could be myself, as I was constantly ripped out of my social network because of frequent moves across the country and around the world. I was always wearing a mask to fit in with people. I never had an identity.”
Alex has autism and is living with ADHD, depression, and anxiety, which makes it hard for her to keep steady employment. Like so many of our applicants, she has significant financial need as a result. Without this grant, she cannot afford any gender-affirming care. Alex views laser hair removal as removing the final “mask” and allowing her to live with more confidence and less fear of harassment, discrimination, and violence.
Danielle A. is a trans femme of color from Oregon. They are living with a disability but cannot afford health insurance or gender-affirming care due to significant financial need. Danielle currently works two jobs that barely covers the cost of their car, rent, and providing for their child.
Danielle writes, “For me, permanent hair removal eliminates my most apparent and immediate ‘male’ marker. It would mean no more scratching and picking at my face, or repeatedly cutting it from shaving up to three times a day. It would eliminate my need for layers of foundation and reveal a face I can accept – a face I can see in the mirror and still want to go outside, and dress in a more subdued way instead of relying on clothing to flag my gender.”
Rachael P. is a trans woman and disabled veteran from North Carolina. She is the sole provider for her son as well as her wife, who has had several major surgeries recently and has accumulated significant medical debt.
When Rachael came out as transgender at a previous job, she was soon after fired for “poor performance,” and then struggled for a long time to find employment. Finally, in desperation, she accepted a job that not only pays much less, but also requires she present as male. As a result, her family’s finances are extremely strained, and her dysphoria has returned. She writes, “I despise having to shave. Having one less male activity would mean the world to me. Putting on makeup and not having a face with [beard shadow] would save me so much grief.”
For interested future applicants, you may learn more about the program and apply here.
If you’d like to support this program, you may make a donation here. Thanks in advance for your generosity!
Written by Point of Pride
Point of Pride provides financial aid and direct support to trans folks in need of health and wellness care.
