“While a haircut may seem like a small aspect, its significance in affirming one’s identity cannot be understated.” Creative director JP Gomez is discussing the inspiration behind Strands For Trans – the first global directory of trans-affirming hair, beauty and wellness businesses. The network was imagined as an accessible platform to enable people to seek out safe, supportive and positive beauty experiences wherever they are.
With support from queer creatives such as Billy Porter and Marc Jacobs, the registry and interactive map currently features 7,500 beauty businesses from 28 countries – and counting. This includes a strong presence in Texas, where LGBTQIA+ rights are under threat from a remarkable number of anti-trans and anti-gay bills passing through the senate.
Strands For Trans was founded by Gomez and hair stylist Xavier Cruz – a married couple and co-owners of New York grooming boutique Barba – in 2017. They were inspired to create the platform (in collaboration with ad agency Terri & Sandy) after hearing that a transgender man in California had been denied a haircut at a local barbershop. With the recent rise of anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation coming into force across the US, including bans and restrictions on access to transgender care, Gomez describes the climate as urgent: “Now, more than ever, the importance of fostering inclusive and supportive spaces for all members of the LGBTQIA+ community is abundantly clear.”
For many trans and non-binary people, finding a safe space that embraces inclusivity and supports their journey isn’t always possible in traditional gender-specific salon spaces. Gomez believes everyone deserves the opportunity to align their outward appearance with their inner sense of self and identity. Xavier adds that he is determined to fight for the community to be “seen, heard, respected, and treated with the same dignity as anyone else”, regardless of their location and identity.
When LA-based hair stylist Charli Boell lost clients after coming out as transgender, she decided to open a hair salon in the safety of her own home. Now a Strands For Trans board member, with 90% of her clientele identifying as transgender or non-binary, Boell understands the power of fostering safe spaces for people to receive gender-affirming haircuts. “I hope to live to see the day that trans and non-binary people don’t have to fight to justify our existence,” she says.
Strands For Trans Recommends 5 Queer-Owned Salons
- Beauty R Lab, Paris – This hair salon can be found in Paris’ 5th arrondissement, offering everything from traditional cuts and colour to hair needling and cryotherapy for all.
- Meow Nails, Milan – From manicures and pedicures to eyelash treatments, Meow Nails tailors its treatments to suit each customer from its salon in the Buenos Aires area of Milan.
- Mildred, New York – Founders Rob McMillen and Eric Holmes have created a fresh take on the classic barbershop, named after their grandmother, complete with whitewashed walls and a Smeg beer fridge.
- Cut, Colored and Crowned, Texas – Travelling hair stylist and colourist Jael has opened two full-service salons – one in Brookhaven, Georgia, and this site in the heart of Houston, Texas. The salons specialise in working with natural curly hair textures.
- Clipped, Dublin – This Dublin barbershop offers fresh haircuts for a flat fee of €25, and even has its own haircare line.
Poppy Roy is Picture Director at Service95
