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NY Post
New York Post
10 Apr 2023


NextImg:LGBTQ groups give chest binders to girls as young as 14 without parental consent

Girls as young as 14 can get a free “chest binder” — a controversial undergarment meant to flatten breasts for teens who want to transition genders — sent to them without their parents’ consent, according to LGBTQ websites.

Chest binders made headlines after two were given to a 13-year-old Maine girl by a public school staffer without her parents’ permission or knowledge.

Mom Amber Lavigne has since filed a federal lawsuit claiming the school deprived her of her constitutional right to direct her child’s upbringing.

At least three dozen organizations nationwide offer the restrcitive, girdle-like chestwear which is often the first step in a gender transition and having breasts surgically removed, at no cost to children and without moms and dads signing off.

“The Freedom Binder is specially designed for people who identify themselves as transgender (trans men or FTM), non-binary, or tomboys who would love to have a flat chest but cannot afford to get one,” declares TOMSCOUT.

B4CK, advertises its own “binder for confident kids.”

Many of the organizations specifically state that they have no age requirements, “however, in order to comply with US, state and federal regulations, if you are 13 years of age or younger, we can only accept your request with the consent of your parent or legal guardian,” Point of Pride guidelines say.

A young person pictured here with a “chest binder”– a controversial garment meant to flatten a girl’s breasts so she can transition to becoming a man.
Point of Pride

The trans advocates did not immediately respond to The Post’s questions about parental consent, however, their program rules allow teens 14 and older to send breast-binders to an address other than their home address, such as that of a friend or post office.

“We can ship your binder to a friend, family member, or another trusted person,” Point of Pride explained online.

After discovering two "chest binders" in her daughter's room, 13, mom Amber Lavigne put one on to see exactly how uncomfortable they were, she told The Post. She called them "body-shaming."
After discovering two “chest binders” in her daughter’s room, 13, mom Amber Lavigne put one on to see exactly how uncomfortable they were, she told The Post. She called them “body-shaming.”
AP

Lavigne doesn’t know where the two chest binders given to her daughter came from, but she suspects they were provided by an organization like this, who gave them to her school’s social worker.

“I put it on; I wore it for an hour,” Lavigne told The Post of the painful experience. “I just wanted to see what it was like and it was the most uncomfortable thing ever.

I can’t even imagine how uncomfortable this thing was to wear for 8, 9 hours a day, and that’s what [my daughter] was doing.”

Sam Roy, the social worker who gave chest binders to Lavigne's daughter, continues to work at the public school in Maine.
Sam Roy, the social worker who gave chest binders to Lavigne’s daughter, continues to work at the public school in Maine.
LinkedIn

The mother of three and mental health professional was relieved she had found the chest binders relatively quickly, as she fears the long-term impact they could have had on her daughter’s future.

“They can destroy your ducts that you utilize to breast feed, they can warp your rib cage because you’re still developing at 13 years old,” she said. “There are definitely side effects to wearing these binders, especially if they’re worn incorrectly.”

Pride advocates also advise those who use chest binders to take frequent breaks while wearing them.

Great Salt Bay Community School in Maine is being sued by Lavigne.
Great Salt Bay Community School in Maine is being sued by Lavigne.
Google Maps

“Even a dedicated binder is not without risk, and binding improperly or for too long can lead to chest and back pain, rib bruising and fractures, shortness of breath, overheating, and skin damage,” one website warns.

The school social worker who gave the chest binders to Lavigne’s daughter, Sam Roy, continues to work with children at Great Salt Bay Community School.

“My heavy concern is that an initial step is chest binders — would they have moved forward with talking to her about puberty blockers,” Lavigne said.

“Maybe they had that conversation. I don’t know. My daughter [has] been clear she hasn’t shared everything she and the social worker have discussed with me.”