And the award for dad of the year goes to…
This is one of the nicest father daughter stories we’ve heard, it’s about a dad and his clever idea to help his daughter feel more comfortable.
A dad from Toronto, Canada has designed a swimwear range for transgender girls and named the new line of clothing Rubies after his daughter, who is transgender.
Jamie Alexander saw how difficult it was for his daughter to find a bikini or swimsuit that made her feel comfortable, so he decide to come up with a solution and in doing so he created a line of swimwear for transgender girls.
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The new range goes up to a size 20 and the first product is the Ruby Shaping Bikini Bottom which his daughter can wear without feeling uncomfortable.
The website explains that these bikini bottoms “magically turn a pointy poker into a dainty dune, no tucking required.”
Alexander, is an experienced entrepreneur and has been involved in the tech start-up world. He worked with Ryerson University’s tech start-up incubator The DMZ, on the project.
He told the TODAY Show: “Everything I saw was heavily branded just to trans people and had a quilted pad in the front. They didn’t look like normal bikinis.”
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“I wanted to create a garment that looks and feels like a regular bikini and a brand that resonates with kids, not just trans kids.”
Trans girls who have tried the bikini are now even wearing them as underwear because they make them feel comfortable. So his plans for the business are also moving in that direction too.
“I want to focus on the positive stories about these kids and normalise them. They’re just kids. That’s how people need to see them.”
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Jessica Herthel, co-author of children’s book I Am Jazz with transgender activist Jazz Jennings told TODAY, “An item of clothing like Rubies swimwear can be a total game-changer for transgender and gender-creative children.”
“Being able to do something that most of us take for granted — namely, to go swimming without fear of being stared at or teased, or even targeted — can give a child a feeling of normalcy and belonging.”
