Binding Trans Community Together Through Clothes

In an unassuming garage in Wendouree, you would never guess that there are racks of clothes just waiting to help people express their true identity.

By Tayla Ham - June 20th 2023

Rainbows and other LGBTQIA+ motifs line the walls of the swap shop, creating an inclusive space to find clothes. Photo: Tayla Ham

A person's sense of identity is intrinsically linked to clothing and fashion. This is especially true for the transgender and gender-diverse communities. Without fashion, their reflection may not always align with their inner self.

In Wendouree, a suburb of Ballarat, The Trans and Gender Diverse (TGD) Clothes Swap Shop is located. The shop has been running for over a year and a half, providing free clothing to members of the LGBTQIA+ community

When Renea Johnson’s mother passed away during the pandemic and requested that her clothes be given to people in need, Johnson says, “We didn’t know what to do” as no one was taking clothing donations.

Johnson initially planned for a clothing swap event she hosted to be a one-time occurrence. However, due to the positive response received, with many expressing the need for a permanent swap shop, Johnson and her daughter decided to transform their art studio into The TCD Clothes Swap Shop.

The TGD Clothes Swap Shop at one of the various pop-up events Johnson swore that they would never do. Photo: Supplied

Johnson initially swore the store would be by appointment only and have “no pop-up events!” However, within a month, Johnson was organising the store's first pop-up event at the Daylesford Chillout Festival in 2022. Now, they have regular pop-up events, including several with the Victorian Pride Centre.

At The TGD Clothing Swap Shop, all ages are welcome to make an appointment if they need clothing. Additionally, it's not just for newly transitioning people. “We see everybody,” Johnson states “We have appointments pretty much every afternoon, and that varies from one person

coming by themselves to 8 teenagers coming for 3 hours at a time.”

This service is essential for the queer community in a regional area, such as Ballarat, where openly shopping for gender-affirming clothing may not be accepted by the wider community or may cause distress for individuals experiencing gender dysphoria.

For these individuals, having a safe space, such as The TGD Clothes Swap Shop, which is run by people who are part of the LGBTQIA+ community, can be reassuring. “The clients love the shop,” says Johnson, being able to provide items to people so that they can express themselves in an environment free from judgement, “I love it.”

Handmade packers and knitted knockers can be used to help reduce gender dysmorphia. Photo: Supplied.

The TGD Clothes Swap Shop has a program that helps people access expensive items like binders and packers, which are not readily available in regular stores. For some people, these items are essential for helping them make their reflection match their gender identity.

The Binder Project is a series of Go Fund Me campaigns that the swap shop runs to fund the purchase of new binders.

The Binder Project campaign advertising. Using body-positive imagery to show that anyone can get a binder. Photo: Supplied.

Binders use tight compression on the chest to create a flatter appearance, but it can also lead to serious health issues if done incorrectly. A proper fitting binder and education on safe binding techniques are crucial.

Johnson finds helping people with their first binder to be one of the most rewarding parts of running the shop. She explains, “They look in the mirror, and they are just like, oh my god. I’m flat-chested. And that is just beautiful.”