Trans nail tech: A client prepaid for appointments to help fund my top surgery
By Rebecca Hitchon | 16 November 2024 | Feature, Health & wellbeing, Tech Talk
“Not only have I received allyship from other nail techs and my clients, but I’ve been given tangible support through my transition,” says Asher Maynard, a transmasculine and non-binary nail tech based in Seattle, USA.
The pro has received so much support, that one client prepaid for her appointments to allow Asher to afford top surgery. “I’m surrounded by people that care, and so I give them grace to make mistakes and ask questions, because there’s no malice,” he tells Scratch.
Asher was raised in a creative household, with artistic endeavours encouraged, and during high school, a passion for the beauty industry grew. “I was enamoured with the way people use beauty to express themselves. This led me to the nail industry, and I find a lot of joy in bringing happiness to clients through nail looks,” he shares.
“I didn’t always know I was trans and don’t really feel like I was born in the wrong body,” Asher continues. “My transition began with a curiosity, and as I began to explore my gender identity and expression, I felt euphoric in my gender for the first time.
“I want people to be aware that trans lives can be joyful. There’s a lot of scary things happening in the world, but trans people are living full lives, creating beautiful art and having meaningful experiences.”
Asher openly shares about being trans in his social media bio and posts, and does this for two reasons: “One is to let other trans people know that I offer a safe, judgment-free space and confidence boost, wherever they are in their transition. The second reason is to keep my space safe for me; I don’t want a client to be surprised when they turn up to their appointment and have a negative reaction.”
To other transgender pros, Asher recommends listening to podcast, Gender Reveal. “It is a series of interviews of trans people by trans people. Every episode introduces new perspectives and leaves me with something to think about,” he notes.