Queer Youth In NEED

Hi folks!

I wanna introduce you to Pippin (they/them).

Pippin started getting their hair cut by me about two years ago.

My salon has, and will always be, dedicated to being a safe haven for queer folks. My favorite part of being a queer person is having seen, first hand, how our community supports one another. Queer folks have survived and thrived because of the chosen family we make.

Pippin reminds me so much of me at their age. They have had to learn to plan for the day they got outed. They knew they’d lose their family’s support. I’m honored that they have felt comfortable coming to me with their struggles.

This kid is ridiculously responsible. Too responsible. Since I’ve known them, they’ve always had a job. They work hard, have so much kindness and compassion in their heart, & they truly have potential to make a positive impact on this world. They are the definition of a good kid. They do not deserve this. They don’t deserve to lose their family, safe housing, education, and every ounce of autonomy they’ve worked for.

I think my desperate desire to help Pippin is because they remind me so much of me at that age. My family let me fall flat on my face & unfortunately, Pippin’s family is prepared to do the same.

Since coming out to me, Pippin has told me that their lifeline was college. They would come out then — after he had some physical space between them and his family.

Unfortunately, Pippin was recently outed to their conservative & homophobic family. And they need our help y’all. Badly.

Like many trans* youth, Pippin’s family has pulled the rug out from under them. Their parents have decided the “consequences” for being a queer person include cutting off access to the outside world. They’re trying to use the lifeline of college as a bargaining chip to fix their queerness.

Pippin is set to go to college in August. Their parents were going to be footing the bill, but since they were outed the family has decided to cut him off financially. Since they added Pippin as a dependent on their tax’s before he turned 18 & claimed they’d pay for college, Pippin’s financial aid options are slim to none. Pippin is at risk of losing everything they have worked so hard for. All because they are queer.

The amazing thing about the queer community is that so many of us understand what Pippin is going through right now. This community has survived and thrived because we show up for each other. Please please help me show Pippin that they’re never gonna be alone.

Here’s what we have done so far:

Here’s what we would like to do:

The immediate number is $3000! But I’ve set our goal to $10,000 in hopes of giving them as much freedom and stability as possible.

This kid deserves some stability and some peace to heal. They deserve the opportunity to go to therapy. They deserve to live. They deserve to have a future. They deserve to keep growing up.

We’re open to creative solutions! If you’d like to help us fundraising, please feel free to reach out.

Wanna get them something for his dorm? A wishlist link is coming soon!

You can also venmo me at @Pax-Green & put in the tag line “Pippin” & those funds will go directly to him!