WGRC interns Elliot Babilonia (left) and Andy Ortiz (right).
@MU_WGRC / INSTAGRAM
Mary Haley, Marketing Chair & Asst. Features Editor
In the pursuit to support gender diversity, Manhattan University’s Women and Gender Resource Center (WGRC) hosted their very first transgender clothing drive on MU’s annual Wellness Day.
This particular clothing drive went further than just providing students with clothing. Andy Ortiz and Elliot Babilonia, two interns at the WGRC, explained that the clothing drive aimed to provide free, accessible gender-affirming clothing to trans and non-binary students.
After planning for this clothing drive over the last year, the WGRC decided to hold it on Wellness Day to emphasize the connection between gender-affirming clothing and mental and emotional wellbeing. Ortiz explained to The Quadrangle that wearing gender-affirming clothing is a crucial part of self-care and can significantly impact a person’s overall wellbeing.
“Having gender-affirming clothes helps you feel comfortable in your body,” Ortiz said. “It’s about mental and emotional health, not just physical appearance.”
ELLIOT BABILONA / COURTESY
The drive offers clothing in various sizes and styles, with no requirements for exchange. Students can access items directly from the WGRC, providing a discreet and supportive environment for those exploring their gender identity.
While the clothing drive was featured on Wellness Day, Babilonia also emphasized that it’s an ongoing resource. Students can access gender-affirming clothing at the WGRC at any time, not just during the Wellness Day event.
“You could literally just walk into the WGRC right now and take some clothes that would be gender affirming to you,” Babilonia said. “But another reason why we have it open all the time is just in case you don’t want to be outed. If you don’t want your friends knowing that you’re coming and taking some gender affirming clothing.”
Both interns resonated with the purpose of this drive. Babilonia, who came out at ten years old, understands the financial barriers many trans youth face.
“When I was younger, I couldn’t afford gender-affirming clothing,” Babilonia said. “This drive eliminates that obstacle.”
Ortiz shared a similar experience.
“I wasn’t really accepted when I first came out,” Ortiz said. “It took my mom, like, three years to really wrap her head around the fact that I was gender fluid. I’m on testosterone, and getting that was expensive, and something I had to do on my own. Getting my own clothes is something I have to do on my own, and it was a very isolating experience, because I had friends that accepted me, but at the end of the day, sometimes you want your family to also be there for you when you go through these major changes and you’re exploring yourself. It was hard enough for me to go through my own experiences, and I wouldn’t want that for another trans person that’s going through that, or worse.”
The initiative is part of a broader commitment to inclusivity. The WGRC emphasizes that their space welcomes all students, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation.
According to the WGRC’s instagram, @mu_wgrc, it is “An inclusive space at Manhattan University for student experiences related to gender, sexuality and justice.”
When the WGRC dropped the “L” for “Lasallian” in their name in the spring of 2023, the staff worried that it would give the impression that this resource on campus is more exclusive. The staff now emphasizes that the center is inclusive of all identities.
“Every single student at the university is affected by the things that we talk about,” Babilonia said.
The conversation does not end here for the WGRC. They have many upcoming events, including their International Transgender Day of Visibility event on March 31, held by Babilonia, and Ortiz’s Discuss Success conversations being held in March and April. Both, along with the broader WGRC, look forward to continuing their mission of creating supportive campus spaces.