​I am so proud my job supported this class. We were able to offer a complimentary makeup class to the trans and gender non-conforming community of Seattle. The trans community is the most marginalized—especially those who are people of color. Makeup is about more than just beauty, especially for my community. At the beginning of my transition, I was completely overwhelmed by the makeup world. So I started with MAC and became obsessed. Presenting femininely in public is important for my safety. Makeup helps me blend into society easier. Often—especially early in my transition—when not wearing makeup, I’ll be misgendered or harassed because I don’t fit into society’s expectation of what it means to be a woman. Makeup helps myself and other trans feminine people blend into society. Makeup actually can mean safety for us. Trans people are four times more likely than the general population to live in extreme poverty (Nation Center for Transgender Equality). This makes access to makeup and lessons extreme difficult, as many need to prioritize food, water, and shelter first. The combination of social stigma, institutional discrimination, and economic hardships creates major barriers for trans folks to receive the care they need. I hope classes like this will become more regular. Nordstrom MAC counters always offer complimentary makeovers/lessons. My class helped bring folks in who needed help. Thank you for the support and resources to make this dream of mine come true. I hope all MAC locations are able to make something like this happen.