We recently connected with Eshé Hughes and have shared our conversation below.

Eshé, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

I started a brand in April 2024 called GAAG, which is an acronym for Gender-Affirming Athletic Gear, that is focused on creating athletic gear and athletic events for trans athletes. As a transman that started transitioning late in my twenties, I realized I was uncomfortable playing the sports I love because I was fearful of the seclusion I would receive from cis-male participants. It’s funny because growing up I had always played with the boys and now that I am one, inside and out, it’s not permissible. Transathletes, whether professional or amateur, go through these social transitions that can make us second-guess our abilities, our value, our skills, and that was a feeling I did not want to go through anymore; I know there are people like me in the world that feel the same.

I know there is an opportunity to show the world that we can change the game, one athlete at a time, to remind the world that athletics are about bodies, skillset, fairness, and mentality – not what’s in between your legs. A body is a body and there is no reason why we cannot be included, protected, or understood in the athletic field. GAAG is a brand will be the next Nike, UnderArmor, Adidas, but for transathletics/transathletes specifically so we can be uplifted, valued, visible, and protected by a brand that completely stands by its people.

Eshé, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Eshé (E-shay) Hughes and I was born and raised on the Southside of Chicago, IL. I initially was interested in music/audio production as a profession, but with my athletic background I knew there was more for me. For a hot minute in undergrad at SIU – Carbondale, I believed I wanted to be a sports media producer, the camera man behind every great athletic moment, but that didn’t last long either. I ended up getting into the restaurant industry for a flexible schedule and quick money and 12 years later, I’m still here.

I graduated from NYU Tisch School of the Arts in 2020 with an M.A. in Performance Studies, where I studied the interrelation of frequency, color, and fabric. This reinstated my love for music, while also sparking interest in fabrics. Over time I wanted to go back to music production, but life certainly has its trials. As I began to dig deeper into who I was with the help of therapy and great friends, I wanted to begin the transition out of the restaurant industry. As a trans person of color that loves athletics, I knew I had to do something more magical. While I was sitting in my living room last Thanksgiving watching the 1996 Eastern Conference Finals, when the Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks went head to head, the idea hit me – make a brand that brings this kind of passion/competition back into your own community, your trans community! This was a huge moment of relief for me because it was then when I fully understood my purpose for being on this Earth. I have been working on it ever since and decided to properly announce its inception April 8th, 2024.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

I have no investors, no formal business plan written, no cash cow connections. I have used my own money that I saved from bartending to begin this brand. I would love to seek investors and get more time to seek out people who want to support my brand, but as a POC transman, I fear that lots of investors will reject me, ignore me, overlook me as if uplifting the trans-athletic community is not of any dire importance.

I have been blessed to be able to supply the money for samples and photographers, but I have also had the help the trans community. With donations from our community, I have been able to help others with post-op surgery, parenting, and water for sporting events. I do want to be a brand that’s ran by community for community as we have been looked over, undermined, and not taken seriously historically and in modern times. If there is someone in community or an ally of community that wants to have a serious, in-depth conversation, that is when I will consider looking for outsourced income to fund GAAG.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

When people sign up for sporting events, I am always sure to get their contact information such as their email. I send out email updates to those athletes about other events/gatherings to keep the network fresh with updated information. At my sporting events, I also distribute free merchandise do those that attend as a means of thanking them for spending their time with us.

I am also co-director for TRAND1 Streetball, which is a transmasc-NYC basketball tournament for transmasc POC. I also help supply athletic wear/gear for tournament prizes and coordinate practice runs. Tournaments are a great way of getting the word out about GAAG since it is focused on supplying trans athletes with the necessary gear for us to compete. I’m very grateful for my acquaintance Devin for bringing me on board to this tournament and majestic opportunity.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.gaag.bigcartel.com
• Instagram: @gaag.official

Image Credits

Rebecca Hattery-Khan – @trapped.inapostcard
www.rebeccahatterkhan.com