Free make-up workshops launch to help trans+ people feel good

For trans+ people [trans+ is a term that is inclusive of transgender people as well as nonbinary, genderqueer, genderfluid, agender, and other gender-diverse identities], outward appearance is inseparable from your gender expression. You can’t feel good if you don’t see yourself reflected honestly in the mirror, and you can’t look good without the confidence that comes from aligning with your inner and outer selves.

This is the idea behind a new series of events and workshops from non-profit organisation G(end)er Swap. The Feel Good programme aims to provide a safe space for trans+ people, particularly those experiencing homelessness or financial hardship (which, as G(end)er Swap founder Santi points out, is a large majority) to experiment with make-up, find community and discover what makes them feel good – or feel like themselves. Alongside the programme, a print publication, the Trans+ Glamifesto, will be released in collaboration with make-up platform and podcast Turning Lewks later this month.

G(end)er Swap is an outreach organisation that supports trans and gender-nonconforming people’s access to style resources, through in-person events and online. Its mission, Santi explains, is “to empower people to feel like they can wear what they want and be who they want, while also making style, well-being and make-up resources more accessible.” Founded by Santi, the initiative aims to celebrate make-up as a tool for positivity and connection, not just a superficial mask. “This make-up support programme provides an emphasis on doing what makes you feel good. Not what’s trendy and not just for clubbing,” as Santi puts it.

Sessions will be held in September at the Outside Project, the UK’s first LGBTQ+ homeless shelter and community centre. Santi explains that the programme will include “LGBTQ-inclusive brands donating products and make-up experts volunteering their time and knowledge.” There will be make-up pampering drop-in sessions on Saturday September 6 and September 20, with one dedicated to supporting trans masculine people with free chest binders provided by Spectrum Outfitters. On Thursday, September 25, a free make-up masterclass focusing on eyes and brows will take place.

A programme made by trans+ people, for trans+ people, Santi says it was important to them to have a grassroots attitude at the heart of the project. “Mutual aid, resource skill sharing and proving that we don’t need big brands and corporations.” Accessibility was also prioritised to ensure that self-expression is not limited to those with disposable income – free workshops, one-on-one drop ins and resources like loanable books and the new zine filled with inspiration and tutorials will all be available.

Not all trans+ people wear make-up and many wear it in ways that don’t directly correlate with presentation of gender identity, but for a lot of trans+ people, make-up represents one of the first accessible steps towards aligning the inner and outer self. “You might be making yourself into an alien – it doesn’t really matter. It’s just a moment to yourself, to explore your identity in different and experimental ways,” says Darren Mew, founder of Turning Lewks.

Beauty can also act as a form of self-care during a time when politics and culture feels increasingly hostile and threatening to the trans community. This is why the Feel Good programme’s offer of an alternative space to learn, converse and build friendships rooted in creativity and community is so important. The programme also offers something often overlooked: a queer community space separate from nightlife. A space for sober and neurodivergent people or those simply uninterested in clubbing to connect and belong.

At a time when headlines are dominated by hostility towards trans people, it is easy to feel disheartened and pessimistic. To give up on feeling good – if the world doesn’t seem to care if I feel good, why should I? This programme demonstrates that make-up is not trivial. It is self-affirmation, community-building and a tool of survival. Seeking joy through feeling good is a radical act of resistance. “As trans people, we are allowed to be happy. Sometimes we forget that we are allowed to celebrate ourselves, to be at peace, to just go about our daily lives. This collaboration with G(end)er Swap is aiming to reinstate an emphasis on that,” Mew says.

If this programme appeals to you, head down to the Outside Project in September or check out some of the online resources. If it doesn’t, but there is someone trans+ in your life that you care about, then feel free to tell them about it. Encourage them to attend a session. Or even just take them to get their nails done or buy them a nice skincare product. In a world that questions trans+ people’s right to exist, encouraging trans joy has never been more important.