A young trans girl struggled to find swimwear she felt confident in. So her supportive dad started making his own
(Instagram/Jamie Alexander)
A father has designed a swimwear brand inspired for trans girls inspired by his daughter’s own transition.
Jamie Alexander from Toronto, Canada said he was inspired to create clothing after watching his daughter Ruby, who transitioned when she was nine years old, struggle to find swimsuits that she felt comfortable in.
He told Insider that Ruby often wore board shorts and sweatpants in place of traditional swimwear. But at age 11, she wanted to wear a bikini.
Alexander said he couldn’t find many options for form-fitting clothes of swimwear designed for trans kids – so he decided to make his own.
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He told TODAY Parents that he interviewed 50 to 60 different families he found in Facebook groups for parents of trans children to see what they were looking for in swimwear. Alexander said: “The best businesses are ones that solve real problems.
“I knew we had a problem, but I didn’t know if everyone else did.”
He designed a prototype bikini bottom to gently compress and “pull things in” without causing discomfort. After months of research and discussions with parents of trans children, Alexander launched Rubies, named after his daughter, in February 2020.
He told Insider: “I wanted to design clothing that feels the same and looks the same as my daughter’s cisgender friends are wearing.”
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He said his goal is to make the lives of trans children like his daughter better and to normalise trans experience. Alexander said: “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.”
