Where others saw blank walls and boxes in a third-floor corner of Mary Graydon Center, Khouri Lassiter saw possibility.

“I thought we could put a vanity here, racks over there, a makeup wall, and a sitting area,” says Lassiter, gesturing this way and that in a flurry of enthusiasm. “And we needed some color on those walls.”

Soon enough, the assistant director for LGBTQIA education and support programs in AU’s Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) transformed the former storage room into a gender-affirming closet—a joyful and safe space (adorned in cheery shades of pink and blue) for students to explore and celebrate their identities.

The Trans and Queer Cooperative (TQ Co-Op)—co-owned by CDI and AU Pride, the university’s LGBTQ+ student group—opened in April. The co-op offers new clothes, unopened makeup, wigs, and other supplies to AU’s transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming students, free of charge. So far this semester, about 30 Eagles have accessed the secure space, which also hosts events and programming for AU’s LGBTQ+ community.

“A lot of trans folks can feel body dysmorphia: I don’t like the way this shirt is sitting on my shoulders, or I don’t like the way these pants are sitting on my hips,” Lassiter says. “When you have a space like this where you can not only try on clothes, but chest binders and trans tape, you can begin to see the version of yourself that’s in your head.

“Students can begin to experiment with who they want to be and enjoy the shopping experience without worrying about cost, privacy, or safety.”

The TQ Co-Op has an Amazon wish list for those who want to support students who access the space; donations of new seasonal clothing and unopened makeup are also welcomed, Lassiter says.

“We want students to be able to pick out something new that makes them feel powerful and happy.”

Something that makes them feel like themselves.