Point of Pride

Donors to Point of Pride include the American Civil Liberties Union, the Pride Foundation, the Social Impact Fund, Borealis Philanthropy, and Tides Foundation. ²

Background

Point of Pride was founded in 2016 by Aydian Dowling and Jeff Main. ³ Previously, Dowling founded clothing store Point 5cc Clothing that created and sold clothing for individuals that identify as transgender people. The store was meant to spread positive messaging to raise money for their gender-transition surgery operation. Once Dowling earned enough money for a gender transition, Main recommended the pair start a nonprofit organization. ⁴

Since its founding, Point of Pride has donated over 19,000 garments and more than $1 million in direct financial assistance to support gender reassignment in over 120 countries. ⁵

As of September 2024, Point of Pride had five full-time staff members along with volunteers for most of its work. ⁶

Activities

The Annual Transgender Surgery Fund provides direct financial assistance for gender-change surgeries to applicants who can prove that they cannot afford the surgeries. Over $1.3 million in financial assistance has been awarded. ⁷ Point of Pride prioritizes applicants who are “outside the gender binary; people of color; people with disabilities; elders; [and] undocumented immigrants.” ⁸

The HRT Access Fund provides financial assistance for 12 months of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to applicants who cannot afford it. Point of Pride has given out over $282,000 to applicants for HRT. ⁹

Point of Pride has awarded over $583,000 in financial assistance for permanent hair removal services such as electrolysis to applicants who cannot afford it. ¹⁰

The Thrive Fund was started in June 2024 that provides smaller grant donations for gender-related services such as wigs, prosthetics, voice training, and reproductive health services. ¹¹

Point of Pride has provided over 19,000 free chest binders and femme shapewear garments to transgender applicants who cannot afford them. ⁵

Activism

In June 2023, following retail company Target removing or moving back portions of its Pride Month merchandise from due to customer criticism, Point of Pride was one of over 200 LGBT and allied groups that signed and released a public statement demanding Target restore the previous line of clothing while demanding extra security to ensure employee safety at the stores. Other signers include Human Rights Campaign, Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, The Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network, Family Equality, National LGBTQ Task Force, National Center for Lesbian Rights, and National Black Justice Coalition. ¹²

In 2023, the group partnered with Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) and other organizations to protest the New York Times for, “publishing inaccurate, biased pieces about transgender people.” ¹³ Other demands included meetings with transgender community leaders and to hire at least four writers and editors that identified as transgender. ¹³ It previously partnered with National Center for Transgender Equality and other organizations to protest Florida legislation restricting the discussion of sexual and gender-identity topics in schools. In 2022, Point of Pride partnered with Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN) in support of protections for transgender and LGBT students. ⁵

According to its Facebook page, Point of Pride claims to support offering gender-transition surgeries to youth under the age of 18. ¹⁴

On August 30, 2024, Point of Pride issued a statement against a Florida court ruling that restricts gender-reassignment treatments, claiming that it will continue to provide services. ¹⁵

Funding

In July 2024, the organization’s tax-exempt status was automatically revoked as it had not filed any tax returns for three consecutive years. ^{16 17}

In its annual 2023 report, Point of Pride documented $2.65 million in 2023 revenues, 82 percent of which originated from individual donors and 12 percent from corporations or foundations. ⁵

Point of Pride’s 2023 and 2024 social media fundraisers were co-hosted by social media influencers and powered by Give Lively. Each year they raised over $2 million in donations. ¹⁸

Left-of-center donors include the American Civil Liberties Union, the Pride Foundation, the Social Impact Fund, Borealis Philanthropy, and Tides Foundation. ²

Leadership

Jeff Main was appointed executive director in July 2023. Main was a co-founder of Point of Pride in 2016 and board secretary for seven years beforehand. ^{19 20}

Co-founder Aydian Dowling is the chief advancement officer for Point of Pride. Dowling is an activist who documented his transition on YouTube as well as a motivational speaker. ²¹ In 2012, he founded Point 5cc Clothing which sells clothing for individuals that identify as transgender. In 2016, Dowling co-founded Point of Pride and took the role of board president. In July 2024, Dowling became chief advancement officer. ²²

Nic Minard is the board president. He is a product designer who previously worked for several organizations in Washington, D.C. including Human Rights First and Center for a New American Security. He also worked for strategic consulting firm Blue State, providing consulting services to several  organizations including the Democratic National Committee. ²³

Board member Chris Mosier is a transgender athlete who founded transathlete.com and is a consultant to athletic organizations on “inclusive practices.” ^{24 6}