HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WVVA) – Currently, West Virginians can be fired, evicted, or denied service because of being gay.
But in Huntington, the community is striving for inclusivity, with efforts like the ‘Open to All’ campaign. The campaign utilizes a sticker on the door of most local businesses to let their clientele know they do not discriminate.
Marshall University, the town’s heart, is also spearheading the way to inclusivity. Last year NBC highlighted Marshall University’s LGBTQ+ clothing closet.
The LGBTQ+ Tran Closet is a service that has been in existence for 2 1/2 years; it was created by Shaunte Polk and a volunteering undergraduate student, Ashlee Vandruff as a way to support students who felt unsafe in malls, boutiques, or shopping centers.
Polk had this to say about their start:
At the time our office was very small and we barley had space for the staff who worked there but we were determined to have our closet. We put the advertisement on campus and the outpouring of support was amazing.
We had so many bags of donated items that they were touching the ceiling, literally! The support didn’t stop there, we had student volunteers who visited the office daily and helped sort through clothes and even take some home to wash adding to the list of things that made my heart burst with joy and pride for my campus and the Huntington community.
Today, the Trans Closet has serviced over 200 students and the number is still growing. They rotate clothes out by season and continue to do clothing drives to bring in updated items.
All items are free because they understand that most college students do not always have a lot of money.
Their inventory accommodates all gender expressions and is open to all students with a primary focus on the Trans community.
The Closet also offers a safe and welcoming environment where students do not have to feel fearfully doing something as simple as shopping.
Located in the LGBTQ+ Office, the Trans Closet is open every weekday (excluding University holidays) from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Polk ended by saying:
The Trans Closet has definitely been a career highlight for me because it showed me that even when you think the world has lost what it means to love there are still good people out there who still care, love, and support you no matter who you are.
Stay with WVVA for updates.
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November 27, 2019 at 01:50AM
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