It’s normal to feel nervous and anxious when you walk into a hair salon and sit in the stylist’s chair. That nervousness and anxiety can be felt at much higher levels if you’re someone who identifies as part of the LGBTQ community.

Audrey McMahon is walking into a makeshift salon inside the LGBT Center Orange County located in Downtown Santa Ana for a haircut. However, this one is different. 

“It’s super affirming to know that you’re coming into a place where you’re welcomed,” said McMahon.

McMahon is a 22-year-old college student and she recently came out as a transgender woman.

“Something that was always kind of in the back of your mind, but always something you’re going to be like, 'oh I’ll just live my life without having to do this and that’ll be fine,'” said McMahon.

Things were not fine. McMahon eventually got to a place where she realized she needed to be herself.

Haircuts are historically gendered. Women go to salons and men go to barbershops. This idea leaves millions of people in the LGBTQ community feeling uncomfortable, unwelcomed and unsure where they belong.

Two men who have been married for more than 20 years wanted to change that. They partnered with the LGBT Center of Orange County to provide free haircuts and styling to anyone belonging to the LGBTQ community every Wednesday between 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

“I’m more than happy to do this,” said Ruben Olguin.

He and his husband, Oscar Delgado, have a combined 56 years worth of experience in styling and cutting hair. Based on the prejudice they faced during their early years of coming out, they knew what it was like to walk into a salon and ask for a more feminine cut. They recall getting stared at and hearing employees whisper about them.

“I remember that it was hard for me not to feel ashamed because I wanted a woman’s haircut. I had a tell the hairstylist this is what I want and they would look at me weird and say you’re a guy, you’re not supposed to get that haircut,” said Oscar Delgado.

According to numerous surveys and research, more than twice the number of LGBT teens and young adults commit suicide and think about taking their own lives more than teens who identify as being straight. They’re also more likely to become homeless and develop drug and alcohol problems.

“I’m kind of a grasping at straws until I grow it pretty long until I’m at shoulder length or so I’m just going to try my best any sort of facsimile at a female feminine sort of haircut,” said McMahon.

Her hair will grow and it’ll take her back to the salon. However, this haircut will always be the one that started Audrey’s journey of becoming the woman she knew she was always meant to be.

The LGBT Center of Orange County is located on 305 East 4^th Street Suite 200, Santa Ana, CA 92701. For more information about setting an appointment, please visit: https://www.lgbtcenteroc.org.