PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) \u2014 A popular South Street boutique said it is being singled out by the federal government, after receiving a warning letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.<\/p>\n
Passional Boutique and Sexploratorium is a staple shop on South Street marketed toward adults. However, on Dec. 16, Passional\u2019s Azlyn Kraus was shocked to receive what she called a threatening letter from the FDA, accusing them of illegally selling chest binders.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe got a letter from the FDA signed by Michael Jay Hoffmann. The letter just felt like they were trying to strongarm us,\u201d Kraus said.<\/p>\n
The letter demanded they remove chest binders \u2014 a compression product used to reduce the appearance of breast tissue \u2014 from their website within 15 days, stating the products are strictly intended for medical purposes. The letter also suggested that Passional marketed binders toward children.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople use them for all kinds of different reasons, not just for body dysphoria. They\u2019re used to reduce the chest tissue, kind of how Spanx are used to reduce belly fat tissue,\u201d said Kraus. \u201cNothing that we have is marketed toward children.\u201d<\/p>\n
Though some in the transgender community use chest binders, there are many cisgender people who use them for chest support and compression post-surgery, cosplay or for simply working out.<\/p>\n
Lisa Grewey, a cisgender woman and mother of two, used binders to treat a hematoma, and other times at the gym. \u201cA hematoma is internal bleeding, so the binding restricted the blood flow,\u201d she said. \u201cThat was one medical example and I can imagine there are other reasons where it\u2019s useful.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kraus said this feels like a targeted act meant to scare LGBTQ people, specifically transgender men. \u201cI don\u2019t think we\u2019ve ever been regulated like this,\u201d she said. \u201cThe cruelty is the point.\u201d<\/p>\n
Passional management said the shop will remove the binders from its website but continue to sell them at the store.<\/p>\n
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