The Majority of Trans People Have Been Misgendered In a Salon

COURTESY OF PANTENE

A recent study, performed by Pantene, surveyed 200 people who identified as either transgender or non-binary. This study revealed that 93% of individuals had been misgendered at hair salons. Being addressed as the wrong gender can be extremely distressing, with almost 29% of those surveyed reporting feeling stressed when visiting hair salons, and 24% feeling anxious. 

This study shows that although our society is becoming more inclusive, there is still a lot of room for improvement. One company that is making great strides towards this goal is Procter and Gamble (P&G). P&G is the world’s largest consumer goods company and owns many iconic brands including Olay, Herbal essences and Pantene. In response to the results of the study, Pantene is partnering with the charity Dresscode Project. This partnership will focus on educating salon owners and stylists about the LGBTQ+ community, aiming to make the salon experience more comfortable for transgender and non-binary people. 

In addition to this, P&G recently removed the Venus symbol (♀) from the Always menstrual pads. This decision, although met with some controversy, aimred to make the brand more inclusive for their transgender and non-binary consumers. Hopefully, in coming years, more companies will follow the example of P&G and use their popularity and influence to help make our society more inclusive and to break down stigmas.