how do you view your participation in the transgender community

[stephaniec]

what do you think best describes your participation in the transgender community . I consider myself slightly active through Susan's and I plan to increase that activity within the LGBT community In Boys Town Chicago in the near future   I just transferred my medical needs to the LGBT health service and that opens doors to other possibilities in the community.

[Mariah]

Mine is limited to helping the members of Susan's and to helping educate medical professionals in my area. Hugs
Mariah

[Deborah]

Where I live there is no visible transgender or LGBT community.  The closest one is over 100 miles away.  So for now pretty much my only participation is here.


Sapere Aude

[suzifrommd]

Active.

I try to keep a high profile, educating people whenever I get a chance, both cisgender people outside the community and trans people themselves. I write column here on Susan's place, help with the News Staff, coach and counsel people who need it and run the Gay/Straight alliance at our school.

[OCAnne]

I 'give at the office', employ trans folk (who are qualified) and carry a big stick. 
EOM

[Hikari]

Passive, I have been burned a bit by the community and while I used to do things like maintain a blog detailing my transition Once it was deleted I decided to stop making new posts. I would probably be more involved in the activism section of things if I weren't so poor.

[Denise]

I live in a [self editing here] state (Indiana, USA).  They actually passed last year discriminatory laws and the backlash from just about everyone was immediate and severe.  It cost the state tens of millions of dollars in lost tourism.  They tried to remove the law by softening it, but still not good.  Then this year they tried to change a word here and another there and made the law WORSE.  But it didn't pass.

I say this because I have written letters, called and emailed my local representatives to express my concern.  Their response was.... "but I'm doing what my constituents want."  My response was "I don't think so."  If I wasn't so set on getting out of this .... state I would run for office to help influence laws.

So "Other" is because for now, I'm writing letters and educating people that I have come out to.  But once I'm totally out I would like to do motivational speaking.  Standing in front of a large audience is something I actually like to do and this (all things related to Trans*) is an important topic.  I would like to do a TED talk but that may be a ways off.

[Kylo]

Not much. There isn't much of a community where I live.

I asked my doctor out of curiosity if she's ever treated another transgender person other than me in my local area and she said yes, one, a few years ago.

I'm guessing there's not much I can actively participate in where I am. 

Also, everything's so damn slow waiting to get somewhere with transition on the NHS I hardly feel in the best position to advise other people about technical details of transition if they asked me. Kinda feels like waiting in line to be in a club but never having been in it.

[Zumbagirl]

what do you think best describes your participation in the transgender community . I consider myself slightly active through Susan's and I plan to increase that activity within the LGBT community In Boys Town Chicago in the near future   I just transferred my medical needs to the LGBT health service and that opens doors to other possibilities in the community.

I have a few connections with a few people who went through the process at about the same time as I did. I keep a low profile. Hopefully I am living proof that some people can go through this process and come out the other side and live a normal life without having to be a marginalized activist or live a life on the margins of society. If someone wants help, I offer it, but I don't go out of the way. One thing I do not like is when someone says they speak for 'the community' whatever the heck that means. No one speaks for me, no one. Except me. Any time I hear this collectivist nonsense 'we all have to stick together' etc etc, it just drives me away more and back to the rest of society.

[stephaniec]

Quite interesting

[Debra]

passive. I use an alias and hang out here and on ->-bleeped-<- but that's about it nowadays. Once in a while I'll post or tweet about some trans news story thing but I try to keep that to a minimum really

[Jayne]

I'm definitely active, I run an lgbt group for clients of the charity that runs the hostel I lived at for almost a year.
This has led to me being invited to several meetings regarding council policy for the lgbt community & conferences about lgbt mental health issues.

I've been fortunate to be invited to the planning group to help to organise the first Trans Pride South West, if all goes well it will be officially announced later this year & TPSW will hopefully have our first event next year.

My involvement with my local council has resulted in them considering creating a post of "Trans advocate" to help other trans people navigate the minefield of coming out/accessing support/dealing with the NHS. If the post does get the go ahead then I'm in the running for the position, however this position has many layers of red tape to battle through so wouldn't be created until some time next year.

[BeverlyAnn]

Before my mother developed dementia and I became her caregiver I was quite active.  I was on the staff of what at that time was the world's largest transgender conference and was the chair of the Big Brother/Big Sister program.  We paired newcomers up with experienced conference attendees and in some cases, had to talk the newbies out of their room the first time.  Also in the late 90's and early 2000's I was very active here at Susan's.

I'm trying to get back into some activity locally and maybe back with the conference which is now in a different city.

[Stevie]

  The only other trans people I know are my kids, so I really have no knowledge of community. My transition has been out in the open even at work. Not sure if that counts as participation, but I know I have enlightened a few people along the way and I think that is of some benefit to us all.   

[stephaniec]

one thing that is amazing is that this little Susan's community produces some great Bell Curves