Editor’s Note: First names are used to identify Queer Hands’ administrative team by sources’ request.
Queer Hands is more than a handy work organization. The worker cooperative, which began as a small group of queer friends and quickly grew into a nonprofit, is providing safety and support to both the people who hire them and those who do the work.
Queer Hands is a “small but mighty collective of queers” who are providing accessible handy services in Atlanta and beyond. The organization is made up of about 15 Hands, queer and trans people who perform the litany of services the organization provides, and led by the team of trans administrators – Julian, Juni, and Nicky.
The organization provides everything from home repairs and maintenance, painting, construction, and automotive care to cleaning, landscaping, moving, trash removal, and pet care – all done by members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Despite the wide range of services, the price is fixed – $65 an hour or $520 a day – so that the Hands can make what Julian calls a “thriving” wage. However, the organization provides discounted community rates to people who need work done but don’t have the funds to cover it. Through donations and grants, the Hands are still able to be paid $40 an hour, with the other $25 supporting the organization’s operations.
“When you’re supporting us, you’re supporting Hands earning a thriving wage,” Julian told Georgia Voice. “At $40 an hour, we’re hoping it’s more than livable.”
“People want to put their money in the community,” Nicky added. “We are very ‘for the community, by the community.’”
Beyond receiving more-than-livable wages, the Hands benefit from the organization’s structure in terms of safety. Because all the Hands are queer, going into a client’s home can mean an uncomfortable or even unsafe situation. Queer Hands’ administrators vet all clients, and all clients are required to sign policies that affirm they are not anti-trans or -queer. If a client does behave inappropriately, the Hand can flag it and admin will step up to resolve the issue.
“[If] you feel unsafe and scared, you go back to Queer Hands immediately and you can leave the job, and we’ll talk about it and [figure out] what to do next,” Nicky said. “This communal effort really helps.”
Clients also benefit from the organization’s emphasis on safety. Single mothers who fear inviting straight male handymen into their homes make up a lot of Queer Hands’ clientele.
Above all else, Queer Hands strives to operate from a supportive community framework. Admin supports the Hands’ safety and livelihood, and Hands support one another through sharing skills and tools.
“In my experience, I’ve never worked a job that I think was truly supportive – and I’ve even worked for trans companies,” Nicky said. “…Everyone [at Queer Hands] comes in saying, ‘If you have this bad experience, we’re here to support you.’”
Applications to become a Hand are currently closed, but any openings will be posted to the organization’s social media. To learn more, donate, and book a job with Queer Hands, visit queerhandsatl.com.
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