The BWG Gender-Affirming Closet, sponsored by The Clothes Line thrift shop (CONTACT’s social enterprise), is a place where people can sort through free clothing, accessories, and other gender-affirming gear to find items that help them explore and express their identities. Founded in 2024, this initiative takes the lead from various libraries in the United States, and is intentionally created to support transgender, nonbinary, gender-diverse and questioning youth, particularly those who may not have access to resources that support their identities, or may experience discrimination when shopping for these personal items.

 

“The motto at The Clothes Line is: ‘A place where everyone matters’. CONTACT Community Services values all residents in our community, and we are so excited to be able to support this incredible initiative to ensure all residents know they are valued, supported and appreciated for what makes them unique. A special thanks to the BWG Library for bringing this initiative to life and to The Gilbert Centre, that does such critical work in our communities,” shares former Executive Director, Emily McIntosh.

 

The BWG Gender-Affirming Closet in the Alcove is a passive and stationary display of clothing provided by The Clothes Line. The items in The Alcove are open for anyone to come, sift through, and take what they’d like, free of charge.

 

“Clothing is one of the main ways we communicate to others who we are, and the importance of gender affirming clothing for trans, nonbinary, and gender-diverse people cannot be understated,” said Ellis Greenberg, Family and Youth Supervisor at the Gilbert Centre. “We are thrilled to partner with the BWGPL and CONTACT Community Services to provide this essential service for our community, and we hope to see this kind of initiative spread across the region.

 

“In our community and in our region, very little support exists for trans, nonbinary, and gender-diverse youth. Through this pilot project we hope to take a step towards building a safe and welcoming space for these youth in our community.” said David di Giovanni, former Manager of Cultural Services at the BWG Library and Cultural Centre.

 

Anyone interested in donating clothing items to this initiative, including items relevant for prom, are welcome to donate these directly to The Clothes Line in Bradford.

 

For more information, email culture@bradford.library.on.ca