The KW Trans Library is a free resource for sharing, trading and borrowing supplies for trans healthcare. Supplies include post-surgical binders, mastectomy pillows, lap pillows and more.
“I work in gender-affirming care too, so I do lots of the medical side of surgical referrals. Seeing how folks were needing supplies or needing to buy pretty expensive supplies, kind of started me thinking about it,” Jess, a co-founder of the KW Trans Library, said.
The library is an effort to make support for post gender affirming care more accessible. The KW Trans Library works closely with the KW Trans Fund Hub; a support network that helps promote individuals’ fundraisers for gender-affirming care.
“Two summers ago, there was an event hosted by Queer Youth Defense…[that] was a public invitation that, if you’re out, you support others around you,” Lex, a co-founder for the Trans Fund Hub, said.
The library is based in Kitchener, and all people from the Waterloo Region are welcome to access these supplies. For people outside the region, they are encouraged to reach out to speak on the availability of supplies and directed to any libraries that may be in the same area.
“I kind of saw that we needed something to kind of bridge the gap, because I know that there are lots of allies who, if they knew about these fundraisers, they would be excited about being able to help, but they just aren’t seeing them for whatever reason,” Auggie, a co-founder of the KW Trans Library, said.
To access the items, users can reach out to the library after receiving their surgery date and complete the item request form. The KW Trans Library team will then connect to users and confirm which items are available and arrange a drop-off or pick up. A return date will also be arranged so that items can continue to support other people in need.
Auggie began an Instagram account sharing information about the library, which is where the three of them connected.
“…[As] the three of us started talking about the Trans Fund Hub more, I think the needs of folks in both contexts, were clearly are so similar,” Auggie said.
Both the library and the KW Trans Fund hub are efforts to help people save money as they plan for their recovery and have community care for trans individuals.
Allies are encouraged to donate items and/or funds to both causes, respectively. All items are to be in clean and working condition with all parts included when donated, or unopened if they are single use. Medication donations are not accepted.
For more information, visit @kwtranslibrary on Instagram.
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