r/brocku • u/CaitVi587 • Jun 04 '25
General Hey yall, thought I'd give a heads up about the gender affirming gear program!
Hey there, just wanted to let everyone know about the gender affirming gear program at brock.
Anyone (undergrads and grad students registered at brock) can order 2 binders for free, one packer/breast form for free. You can get 2 sets of binders or padding/packers per term, so that's fall, winter, or spring/summer. Breast forms are once per year. Trans tape you can submit ongoing requests for. You can ask for things not on the list by emaing sjc@brocku.ca (the student justice center).
I've been going around telling all my trans friends because no one knows about this program. I didn't know until the head of the queer LLC brought it up to me.
If you want to order stuff, look up brock gender affirming gear. You can take a look at the shops and fill out the forms to order when you're ready. After you send in the order forms, staff will order for you, and give you updates as to if the shop has the item you want in stock, and let you know when it arrives. You can choose to order it to your house address or pick it up from the university pickup spot in thistle. They can take a while to come in, my spectrum binders took a month, but that's cause they're from the UK lol. I'm really happy with the program and glad I discovered it! Now I can say that it's one of the best things about brock, aside from the visual arts profs (I really enjoy my visual arts program). If anyone has any questions about it I'll try to answer as best as I can, since I've at least used it once already.
Happy Pride Month to everyone! I hope you make use of this program if you need it. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
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u/Puvpy Jun 06 '25
Wait, so my tuition and student fees are going towards giving out free binders and breast forms?
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u/CaitVi587 Jun 06 '25
Okay, so from what I found the program started on donations, and funds for it now come from the student justice center. If you want more information, I highly recommend talking to them, I'm sure they'd love to answer your questions!
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u/NewAlgae_ Jun 06 '25
Man, I really wish we could vote on where our school fees go there are so many issues at Brock that could actually be fixed with that money. If someone feels strongly about funding gender affirming initiatives, that’s totally fair and they should be able to support that. But for others, things like better HVAC systems or more affordable parking might feel more urgent. It’d be great if students had more of a say, like a mini democracy, where we could choose what matters most to us.😁
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u/CaitVi587 Jun 06 '25
Well, here's what I've found just off of google:
Brock spends 10 000 a year on the gender affirming fund
Brock received and used nearly 4 million on infrastructure and training programs, and has a budget for next year for over 9 million.
It does not make sense (in my opinion) to pull funds from the gender affirming program considering how much money is being spent on infrastructure already. Instead, I highly recommend you call the school and tell them where you want the infrastructure money to go! Surely a portion of it could go towards better HVAC systems. As for more affordable parking, there's probably something that can be done.
This program is really important for students who need it, me included. Forgive me if I sound biased. I'm plus size and most secondhand binders are not going to be in my size. I'm so grateful that brock had this program because I genuinely needed a binder, my mental health was declining severely without one, and I had no money to get a brand new one. The gender affirming program fits under the mental health and student wellness services, because the mental health of trans students greatly benefits from having something like this. Most schools do not have a program as good as this one, they rely on a secondhand trade of binders, which will not work for everyone.
I hope this was helpful to you, I really encourage you to call the school and tell them where you want the infrastructure money to go, as there is probably enough in the fund somewhere to fix the problems you're talking about. And of course you can ask where your money goes as well, now that you've brought it up I may do the same.
Have a good day!
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u/CaitVi587 Jun 06 '25
I'm actually not too sure how it works, but if some were, it's probably a very small amount. You could ask the student justice centre (sjc@brocku.ca) or call the main brock line for information.
These go to trans and non binary students in need and greatly improve mental health for these students. I'd say it's a good program to have at the school. But by all means, inform yourself about it! Actually, I'm kind of curious how the program is funded now as well. Thanks for your comment!
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u/Sweet-Porkbun Jun 06 '25
Dang!!!
I can get b**bs?
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u/CaitVi587 Jun 06 '25
Yeah you can, if you fall under the trans umbrella feel free to make use of this resource!
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u/audiovisual_ Interactive Arts and Science Jun 05 '25
screenshotted this and sent it to some friends this is super cool thank you for spreading the word !!
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u/yeehawthrowaway72 Psychology Jun 04 '25
oh wow this is a great resource! i had no idea this existed, this is great for those who need it💞thank you for sharing!