God bless the child that's got it's own.

[Lunae]

Hi!
Been thinking and observing for a while, and wish thought/feelings/feedback from you wise ones.
We all have abundant experience of rejection, discrimination, hatred. I've also seen some of us (me, too) become 'mascots' of a sort. Included on GLBt panels, groups, as signs that they aren't discriminatory. But it seems more as curiousities than anything else.
Been thinking about how some other cultural groups function, with core identities, values, taking good care of their own, at some level.
Dreaming about what would it be like to have our own safe haven. maybe more than one, but starting with one. A place at first, safe, nurturing, for transpeople to get their stuff together, get off drugs/alcohol, get some TLC. Maybe then, arranging things with a local college, local employers.. get training, education. Our own doctors, our own teachers, our own ministers, maybe later our own colleges. Launching pads for our own lives in the greater world, but a good safe nurturing start.
This wouldn't be to isolate us, but a positive nurturing/growing place.. not many of those. We have scattered leaders, docs, attorneys, businesspeople, craftspeople, ministers, but no concerted effort to bring it all together.
Plus, we seem at the mercy of groups now that have their own views of us, the APAs, the WPATH, the different religious communities. Our interests are not always their interests.
Other's thoughts? dreams?
Namaste, Lunae

[tekla]

The LGBT Center in SF has a lot of things for T people, services, and employees.  What it takes is a lot of T people showing up and being a part of it, and they have.  but check it out, I think its exactly what you are talking about.

http://www.sfcenter.org/

[Lunae]

The twin cities (MN) have something like this on the table. The downturned economy might lengthen things out, though. I'm told Seattle has something like that.
I was daydreaming about something trans-exclusive, though.
Namaste, Lunae

[tekla]

Well two problems, numbers and money.  I doubt there are enough T persons in SF who would need, want and use such a place, and since we're often not the richest people in the boat, financing it would be hard also.

There are a few places that are smaller and offer health and welefare type stuff, but if you are not living on the streets they don't have much to offer beyond that, though, make no mistake, for the people they do help its a wonderful service.