EP 06: Gender Free Hair, with Kristin Rankin of the Dresscode Project

Hi there! My name is Kristina Russell (pronouns she/her/hers). I am the host of the Colour Kristina Talks Podcast. I am proudly the Australian Ambassador for the Dresscode Project, a global alliance of salons and barbershops committed to providing positive, gender-affirming services for LGBTQ2S+ clients. In Episode 6 of The Colour Kristina Talks Podcast, I talk with the amazing Canadian based stylist and salon owner, Kristin Rankin, creator of the Dresscode project. When you're gender non-conforming, non-binary or transgender getting your hair cut can create a lot of anxiety.  My mission as an Independent Educator is to use my voice to make changes in the way we look at #genderfreehair and to understand the concept of consultations and hairdressing skills that are based on hair inspo, as opposed to gender stereotypes. Within every Kristina Russell Education event, I share information and resources pertaining to the Dresscode Project. This podcast is an educational resource suitable for hairdressers, salon owners, consumers, clients and ally’s of the Dresscode Project and queer communities to become informed and know how to find or create a gender-affirming salon. Simply put, Dresscode Project is about unity, acceptance, equity, safer spaces and teaching our industry that diversity is the future.  For many in our communities going to a salon and asking for a haircut that is not traditionally associated with our sex as assigned at birth is a scary and difficult experience. That wonderful happy transformation is less accessible. Our communities are wonderfully expressive and inclusive but are often denied this experience that comes without question to the straight community. Kristin Rankin has always been passionate about creating an inclusive environment, but when they realized how widespread discrimination is in the industry that they love and work in – they knew it had to change. Kristin is working to eradicate homophobia, transphobia, and discrimination according to race, sex, and gender in salons worldwide.   Topics we discuss in Episode 6 of the Colour Kristina Talks Podcast: How you can make your space safe for LGBTQ2S+ clients How salons can get involved with the Dresscode Project We discuss Kristin’s motivation to set up the Dresscode Project We talk about some barriers to service that LGBTQS+ people encounter We talk about gender-free pricing & what the hashtag #lengthnotgender represents We talk about misgendering and pronouns and how we can avoid this happening Plus I share a free downloadable resource on my website https://kristinarussell.com.au/the-blog/ that is a super cute Gender Bread Person infographic that is suitable for explaining gender/sexuality/identity to children and adults in a fun way