EnGender

Spring Quarter Open Now (5/13/2024)!

Accessing your authentic self!

What is EnGender?

EnGender is an emerging program that aims to provide free and accessible gender affirming items to anyone who needs them. We are continuously striving to make our center and the University of Washington a more affirming and celebratory place, part of which involves centering the many ways our bodies exist in the world/celebrating the many ways we express ourselves to the world.

With EnGender, we hope to widen access to gender affirming items and experiences for the greater UW community. Transitioning can be overwhelming. Sometimes gender affirming products can be inaccessible. When you’re already trying to navigate your sense of self, a lack of access is one more stressor. As our program takes off, we hope to provide you with some of the tools you desire for your sense of self.

What do we have?

We are currently offering the products at no cost:

Binders from gc2b
Packers from Trans Essentials
TransTape from TransTape
Gaffs/Tucking Underwear from Origami Customs

AND we are working to expand our offerings! Currently we are looking into distributing makeup.

If there is something that you would like us to provide at no or low cost, please fill out the section “Is there a gender affirming product not present on this form that you would like us to provide?” in the Engender Request Form or email us at engenderuw@gmail.com.

Hey! You’ve got a lot of items for transmasc folks, what about transfemmes?

We’re delighted to be able to provide gaffs and tucking garments with Origami Customs! We’re working really hard to build partnerships with companies and organizations that supply gender-affirming items such as shapewear and makeup. While we would love to be able to provide bras, bra inserts, wigs, shaving equipment and corsets, it is not within our power to do so under the institution we currently work within.

We acknowledge that we exist in, and are in some ways a product of the anti-trans misogynistic structures that intentionally exclude trans women and transfemmes from equity and access narratives. We are striving to interrupt these oppressive cycles, and we ask for your patience as we work to resist and repair these violences under our capitalist system.

In short – we are working with extremely limited funding, as are most companies and organizations that provide gender affirming items for trans women and transfemmes. We want to minimize enacting exploitative capitalism and are working to apply for grants to both fund the needs of our trans siblings, and pay our trans siblings for their work.

Who can access these materials?

Anyone affiliated with the University of Washington including the Bothell and Tacoma campuses can fill out the Google form. If you are not affiliated with the University or have additional questions please contact us directly at engenderuw@gmail.com.

EnGender can be accessed by all students, staff, and faculty. While Spring 2023 prioritized seniors, Autumn 2023 and Winter & Spring quarters 2024 are accessible to all on a first come first serve basis.

What happens once I request from you?

Thank you for your patience, since we have limited inventory and fulfillment times may vary.

We will contact you from the engenderuw@gmail.com or qcenter@uw.edu emails to discuss things like sizing, color preferences, and other item specifications. If you request a binder, we will schedule a time for you to come into the Q Center (HUB 315) for sizing.

We know you know your body best! However, because of the nature of our partnership with the fabulous gc2b, and because of the potential for health complications due to binding, you must meet with a trained Q Center Staff person who will help you find the right size, and who will ensure you are aware of how to mitigate the potential risks of binding.

Sizing is not required for Transtape, gaffs, or packers, however we have educational materials for you to take with you and can also schedule an optional educational session on your products.

Following that, we will work on getting that item to you. If you would like to have discreet/nondescript packaging we are happy to provide! To receive your items you can come to the Q Center space located in the HUB Room 315.

If you cannot come into the Q Center space, please email us directly at engenderuw@gmail.com to discuss options.

The Form (open now!)

Embedded below is our form! You may also access it using this link here. If you have any questions or need additional information, please email us at engenderuw@gmail.com.

The form can only be accessed if you are using a UW Net ID and/or email. The embed may not appear unless you are on a chrome browser logged into your UW Net ID.