Help Lain Get a Women’s Wardrobe To Wear At Work

Hi, folks. Lain Kaplan here. I’m a 45 year old trans woman from Scranton, Pennsylvania, and I came out four years ago when I was working in Japan. I’ve been dealing with dysphoria and clinical depression since puberty. I couldn’t be out at my job, and wasn’t able to start HRT while I was there. I left Japan in spring 2020, and currently work part time in a call center. I came out at work in October, and haven’t had any pushback since, but when a full time position came up two weeks ago, I wasn’t able to get the job, and I was in boymode in the interview and that was really hard. I think I did a solid job in the interview, but I definitely could have felt more at home if I had a more feminine presentation. 

I am reaching out to ask for assistance to help me get a new wardrobe and materials to help me present as my authentic self in a full time job. I bought a bus ticket to go to Philadelphia to go shopping at thrift stores on the weekend of Feb 17th-19th, and get help buying clothes with my good friend Kim. Philly has a lot of thrift stores, and thrifting while openly trans in NEPA has some significant risks. I got some incredibly hostile responses from people at both Goodwill and Salvation Army when I went there in December. Since I can’t drive and I live in a part of NEPA without access to public transportation, I have to rely on my family for public transportation, and I try not to ask too much of them.

UPDATE: March 5th, 2023

I have started wearing dresses and skirts at my current part time job. I have _a_ foundation garment and a camisole, and three pairs of leggings. I also have three pairs of lower underwear. My boxers definitely don’t work with skirts and leggings. My mom demanded that I get a new pair of shoes, and I had to appease her. The new boots are very sturdy and give great support, so that helps with the walking. But that was an expense I was hoping to put off. 

I am also raising the goal as I need assistance with getting my passport renewed. To be honest, with the recent bills Tennessee and others are passing that require insurance companies to deny coverage to ALL trans people nationwide if they want to do business in TN, I am thinking more and more about leaving and applying for asylum. That runs out next year.

I’ll upload photos of the skirts I did buy as well. I am under no illusion of being able to look like a young woman; if I had known earlier in life, I would have had a lot of opportunity to change then, but I will make the most of it. 

Thanks for reading, and please share with people you trust. It’s an absolute horror show daily reading the news about the state legislatures finding new ways to make trans people unpeople. And I know I can use a hand.

Update; I have filed for legally changing my name to Lain Rachel Kaplan. It's going to cost $350. Yes, marriages and divorces are far less expensive. That's life.