How do you make APART studio a safe place?
Emma: I feel it starts with the way the hairstylist makes the client feel coming on the chair.
MJ: Belonging to the community myself, I have a different view of the heteronormative world. I left some traditional hair salons because of a lack of open-mindedness, they didn’t want to change things. That’s what motivated me to create a safe space for myself and for my clients who are marginalized as well. We can offer a safe space with initiatives like gender-neutral pricing and asking people for their pronouns. Small stuff goes a long way. I can’t proclaim my space completely safe because I still learn every day, but it’s at the heart of our values as a queer-owned salon.