A father of a transgender girl designed a swimwear line for trans girls when he noticed his daughter struggling to find swimsuits.
Entrepreneur and Toronto dad Jamie Alexander (@rubiesdad) saw his then 11-year-old transgender daughter, Ruby, having a difficult time finding bikini bottoms that made her feel comfortable.
Jamie put his entrepreneurial skills and background in tech to good use and decided to design a product that would help transgender adolescents feel more confident and comfortable. He named his new swimwear line Rubies, after his daughter.
Kids already struggle enough to feel comfortable in their own skin, and trans children can experience higher levels of anxiety than their cisgender counterparts.
The entrepreneur was inspired to create Rubies when he and his daughter were packing for Ruby’s first overseas trip to Central America. Ruby and her father were nervous about Ruby’s swimsuits because they could have revealed that Ruby was trans. They didn’t know how supportive people would be outside of their community.
Knowing that Ruby and all trans girls deserve to be comfortable in their swimsuits, Jamie decided to change the swimsuit industry for the better.
‘Every girl deserves to shine’
Swimwear that’s marketed to trans youth, according to Jamie, will typically have quilt paddings on the front that look different from regular swimsuits. Jamie told Today, “I wanted to create a garment that looks and feels like a regular bikini and a brand that resonates with kids, not just trans kids.” Rubies swimwear bottoms include a soft compression that keeps everything in place and provides “worry-free comfort.”
Jamie’s mission to support trans girls is reflected in Rubies’ slogan: “Every girl deserves to shine.”
If you’re not an entrepreneur or tech expert, there are plenty of other ways to support trans youth. If you have a trans kid, taking the time to learn about the community and connect with other parents of trans youth is a great place to start. The Trans Youth Equality Foundation and PFLAG are great places to begin your allyship journey!
In The Know is now available on Apple News — follow us here!
If you enjoyed this story, check out these dads who immediately burst into tears when they see their newborn baby!
More from In The Know:
Kirrin Finch is the menswear-inspired brand designed for women, trans and nonbinary folks
This ‘bold and brave’ beauty brand creates makeup with transgender women in mind
LGBTQIA+ couple celebrates Pride by sharing their heartwarming journey to motherhood
The post Dad designs line of swimwear for trans girls named after his own daughter appeared first on In The Know.
0 Comments