By: Jamie Harvey, Reporter
OMAHA, Neb. – Trans Stitchin’ is a no-cost community clothing closet that aims to make the process of transitioning safer and more accessible for Omaha’s transgender community.
Every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Trans Stitchin’ opens its doors to provide gender-affirming clothing, shoes, undergarments, and accessories to Omaha’s transgender community at no cost.
The closet was created in 2019 by friends and business partners Maddelyn Bal and Grady Schmitt. During the wave of pandemic closet clearing, Bal and Schmitt noticed that people were looking for an inclusive place to donate their clothes. So they decided to organize one.
“I was thinking back to my own transition just and how difficult it was to get clothing that was comfortable for me,” Schmitt said. Remembering how difficult it was financially and socially to shop for clothes earily in his transition, Schmitt said he liked the idea of creating a “space where people can just come and shop and be comfortable and get the clothes that feel comfortable for them.”
So, on the second floor of an office building, for one day a week, these two friends create a safe space for trans people to build their closets without cost or judgment.
“One of the foundational beliefs of Trans Stitchin’ is that everyone should feel loved and everyone should feel important and like their needs are met,” said Bal. “And I think that’s what we’re trying to do here, is let the community know everyone should have access to clothing that makes them feel comfortable.”
Bal said that Trans Stitchin’ is going strong and that the closet has a lot of support from the community. The closet accepts donations of hygiene products and clothing. Trans Stitchin’ has an amazon wishlist, visible at https://shareomaha.org/nonprofit/trans-stitchin.
