We’re in the business of transforming hair! Good Dye Young’s Pro Team of professional stylists is the epicenter of our creative community, and they inspire us every single day with their incredible artistry. This Pride Month, we’re giving LGBTQ+ stylists on the GDY Pro Team the platform to tell their story and show the GDY community how pride and hair color share space in their salons. For many in the LGBTQ+ community, an affirming haircut or color can be a transformative act of authenticity. Our Pro Stylists are a key part of that journey, and they do everything they can to help their clients express themselves confidently, creatively, and safely.
Meet GDY Pro Stylist Patrick Garcia (@isthatpat), a color and hair extensions specialist based in San Antonio, TX. His creative style centers on blending vibrant hues with seamless extension techniques to create striking looks that make a bold statement of individuality and confidence.
What does PRIDE mean to you personally?
Pride to me means being able to live life in a way where you can fully be yourself unapologetically. It means following your heart and loving whoever you want to love without fear of rejection, judgment, or being labeled for who you are. Pride is about having the freedom to express yourself openly, without boundaries or limitations.
One of the most beautiful parts of Pride is the idea of chosen family. Sometimes family is not always blood-related. They're the people you find along the way who embrace you exactly as you are. Having a chosen family means surrounding yourself with people who constantly love you, celebrate you, uplift you, and make you feel safe.
How can hair color and affirming styles help clients feel like the most authentic version of themselves?
Affirming styles and hair color can really help people feel like the most authentic version of themselves because it gives what they’re feeling on the inside a way to show up on the outside. For people, it’s not just a change in their look, it’s that moment of finally seeing themselves and feeling like, “this is me.”
I’ve experienced firsthand how something as simple as the right tone, cut, or style can completely shift someone’s confidence. It’s really about helping people feel seen, comfortable, and more at home in who they are when they leave my chair.
How do you play a role in that experience as a stylist or colorist, to create a safe, affirming space?
As a stylist and colorist, I think our role goes far beyond hair. We have the opportunity to create a space where people feel free to express themselves. For many clients, the salon chair can be a vulnerable place, so it’s important that they feel heard and accepted without the fear of judgment.
I want every client who sits in my chair to know they can show up exactly as they are. When people feel safe and affirmed, it allows them to be more open about what they want and who they are, and that’s when the most meaningful transformations happen. The hair is important, but helping someone leave feeling confident, seen and cared for is what matters most to me. It’s what continues to motivate me to curate a place where everyone feels cherished.
What is your personal relationship to GDY shades and color?
My relationship with GDY has been amazing. Being part of the pro team has allowed me to see the amount of love, intention, and care that goes into everything the brand creates. I deeply admire how GDY stands up for inclusivity and authenticity within all spaces. And beyond that the colors are incredible. The pigments truly deliver that bold punch while still being thoughtfully formulated with intention and creativity behind every shade.
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