Transgender Community Beauty Event in Charlottesville

The estimated transgender population of Virginia is 34,500 (0.55% of the state population). As an academic health center, UVA Health serves a large proportion of transgender patients from Central Virginia. According to recent statistics, approximately 800 transgender patients are served through gender-affirming care clinics at UVA. However, transgender Virginians continue to experience widespread discrimination in both healthcare and daily life. Given UVA Health’s widespread reach in providing gender-inclusive care across Central Virginia, there remains an unmet need for community support for transgender patients in the Charlottesville/Albemarle area. At the Adult Gender Health Clinic, Dr. Catherine Casey incorporates a makeup box into her practice where transgender women can acquire and experiment with makeup in a safe environment. Seeing the positive response from the transgender women in the clinic lead us to wonder if there is a need for a dedicated space where transwomen can learn about beauty expression without facing prejudice. After coordination with Charlottesville Ulta Beauty, Dr. Casey, and transgender community leaders, we created a private, after-hours event for transwomen featuring skincare and makeup classes with beauty consultants. Approximately 15 individuals from throughout the state of Virginia attended our event on December 5th, with varying levels of knowledge and experience with makeup. Attendees rotated through four stations prior to having time to shop with 1:1 assistance from volunteer staff. Our event aimed to help transgender women gain confidence in exploring how makeup can assist them in creating a physical appearance that matches their internal identity in a private, welcoming setting.

2022 UVA Health Disparities Conference - Breakout Session 3: Charlottesville Health Initiatives and Community Projects