Graduate students in the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics said they hope a clothing drive they organized to support the local transgender community will continue to spark conversations about the topic.

The drive has been recognized “in a couple different areas” and has led to conversations about the transgender community, said Amy Goss, a second year graduate student who was one of the organizers of the event. “That is what the clothing drive did and that is what we are hoping for the future as well.”

The drive consisted of a two-week drop-off period and “clothing connection” in which people could visit and look at clothes. It was held earlier this semester at the Department of Marriage and Family Therapy Building located at Peck Hall at 601 E. Genesee St. Graduate students in the department organized the event with faculty and staff members.

After the drive was over, some of the clothes were donated to the Syracuse Q Center, a local organization supporting the LGBTQ community. Others were kept at the department, enabling the access to cloth for transgender clients throughout the year. In My Father’s Kitchen and Rescue Mission, Syracuse-based organizations assisting the homeless, also received the clothing collected through the donation.

Goss said the drive was successful, saying the donated clothes filled up two full classrooms. Goss said she and her co-organizer Megan O’Brien, who both serve on the Transgender Team, a group of Falk students trained to work with the transgender population, recognized the importance of reaching out to the transgender community.

“Sometimes it is really hard during the transition to get the clothing, maybe because it is uncomfortable or maybe there is financial need that you are not able to get the clothing, “ Goss said.

Organizers distributed fliers to ask for donations at SU’s Couple and Family Therapy Clinic in Peck Hall and several other local organizations that support transgender community.

Goss said being part of the Marriage and Family Department and Transgender Team drove her to plan the clothing drive. She added that she and O’Brien wanted to open up the clothing drive not only for their clients but also for the entire transgender community.

The clothing drive took place Jan. 5 through the end of January, and items donated include coasts, jackets, T-shirts, dresses, skirts, suits, pants, undergarments and accessories. Goss said she hopes the program will continue next year, even though she and O’Brien will be graduating in May.

Published on February 16, 2015 at 12:01 am

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