A Canadian father designed a “bikini” for young boys who want to live as girls, according to a recently released report.
Jamie Alexander saw his biological son, Ruby, struggle with gender identity issues growing up. Ruby had trouble finding bikini bottoms that he could feel confident in expressing his gender identity.
That is when Alexander got the idea to create the form-fitting clothing brand, Rubies, for boys who want to express themselves as girls.
CBC reported that he was inspired to call the brand Rubies after seeing what his son Ruby had gone through.
“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,” Alexander told Today Parents. “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.”
Alexander interviewed 50-60 families in Facebook groups aimed at parents with children who desired to live out their lives as the sex opposite what they were assigned at birth to see what they wanted in swimwear.
“The best businesses are ones that solve real problems,” Alexander said. “I knew we had a problem, but I didn’t know if everyone else did.”
Alexander’s designer made a prototype bikini bottom with spandex on the outside and a mesh liner that does not cause too much discomfort.
Alexander sent 25 samples to families in North America and Australia in December 2019 as a test run for his product.
He discovered that the children who used the bikinis used them as underwear, so the company expanded to make underwear aimed at that demographic.