.Pantene and the Dresscode Project are providing gender-reaffirming haircuts and services to the LGBTQ community.
For this year’s Pride Month, the hair-care brand is donating to The Dresscode Project, which helps facilitate gender-reaffirming haircuts and services to LGBTQ people. Pantene USA is offering eight $10,000 grants to different salons with gender-inclusive practices, which can be nominated through Instagram. The brand is also donating $30,000 to The Dresscode Project to waive membership fees for up to 150 salons.
The Dresscode Project, at its core, is an alliance of salons offering a gender-inclusive experience to LGBTQ clients. “It started because I had an experience with a transgender client, and the next day she tweeted to me that she had never before had a haircut and been made to feel like a woman in a hair salon,” said Kristin Rankin, founder of The Dresscode Project. “We say we allow people to look the way they feel.
Gender-inclusive services can range from changing the language used to describe hairstyles — veering away from masculine and feminine descriptors and focusing on structure — or changing hairstyle names on a price board to include alternatives to traditional men’s and women’s haircut pricing. The alliance also gives its members a guide to gender-free hair consultations, which also gives general guidelines for gender inclusion in the salon channel.
The impetus for the donations, however, wasn’t just Pride Month. The coronavirus pandemic, and the salon closures that followed, dealt a steep blow to the professional channel. Rankin mentioned mass unemployment as part of the rationale behind a monetary donation. “We took COVID-19 and utilized it to make sure we were doing something that actually makes a difference,” Rankin said. “COVID-19 really solidified that what we were doing was on the right path.
Although Pride Month is coming to a close next week, it may not be the end of Pantene’s partnership with The Dresscode Project. The organization facilitates free haircuts for LGBTQ people who can’t afford to go into salons, called its gender-free haircut club, which relies on donations of time and space from stylists in its network. It occurs once monthly in select cities. “I like to call it The Dresscode Project’s side hustle,” Rankin said.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
'Hollywood' Star Jeremy Pope Is Now a Ralph Lauren ModelThe actor appears alongside other LGBTQ artists for the brand's Pride campaign.
Read more »
'See in Black' Photography Print Sale Showcases Black Artists100 percent of the project's proceeds will support the Know Your Rights Camp, Youth Empowerment Project, National Black Justice Coalition, Black Futures Lab and The Bail Project.
Read more »
Tayla Parx on Embracing Her Natural Hair and What Pride Means to Her'We all have insecurities, and the power that lies behind stripping yourself down to the most natural state of you is beautiful.'
Read more »
16 Queer Romances To Read This Pride And All Year Long❤️🧡💛💚💙💜.
Read more »
Pride, Racial Equality Are Twin Messages of Cast in Polo’s CampaignPhotographer Micaiah Carter and chef Kristen Kish are among the faces featured in this year’s campaign.
Read more »
The Only Pride 2020 Playlist You NeedI'm bopping over here!
Read more »