Susan's Place Transgender Resources

There is a wonderful post entitled "If you could help the TG community???" and it asked the question "If you could offer one thing to the TG community to make a difference what would it be and why?"

Everyone expressed some wonderful ideas about what they would like to do to help our community.

A lot of these ideas were far reaching long term goals that I hope are realised some day.

It got me thinking about the little things that we all can do that can really make a difference.


So my question to all of you is;

       What am I going to do today to help the TG community?



I'll start it off with what I will do.
Since I only out to a select few and at the beginning of my transition I'll be joining my local TG support group.
I'm also saving up clothes and shoes for their clothing exchange.
It may not be much but it is what I can do today!

It is important for all of us to think about what we can do to help the TG community

Hopefully we will be able to network and truly stand together and help those to come

I don't know if it did any good, but I like to think so:

I transitioned openly and am now a normal woman, dressing and behaving more or less like any other woman of my age in my town, still integrated into the community, friendly and open.  I've had a few people remark at how 'normal' I am, meaning I don't dress like a drag queen and just go about my business as a woman.  I was persistent in my move from male to female, but I wasn't in-your-face, and I think that those around me - many of whom have never knowingly met a transsexual before - appreciated it.  I'm hoping that they could see I was just an ordinary person who had to be a woman.  I don't deny that I am transsexual and that I used to present male.  I will deny, however, that I was ever a man, regardless of how people saw me then.  That's what has worked for me.

In the larger scheme of things, I'm not sure about its effect, but I think that I got some people thinking that perhaps 'transsexual' is not synonymous with 'freak'.

I've also spoken to several university classes of future teachers and social workers, presenting myself as someone born into the wrong body but otherwise rather ordinary (or perhaps extraordinary, but not because I am TS ;)).

- Kate

Sadly, there's no TG support group that I know of around southern mississippi. If one comes up though, I'll be happy to join the ranks.

I will do as the others above me will. Present myself peacefully, and not get cranky when I'm addressed wrongly. In the future, if I gain plenty of money for whatever reason, I'll be helping out TG groups wherever I can find them.

I'd like to start a business and employ TG people who are transitioning or preparing to transition.  A lot of us have trouble finding work, especially before or during transition.  I live in a big city that's very accepting of TG people.  I'd really like to offer jobs to TG people who want to come here from places that aren't so trans-friendly, young people who have been rejected by their families after coming out, people who have lost jobs after coming out, etc.

When I read about people who are really struggling to get by during transition, I fantasize about being able to say, "Hey, come to San Francisco and work in my pizza shop!  Sure, it's not glamorous, and I can't afford to pay you more than $10/hour, but it's something to do while you transition and get on your feet in a trans-friendly city.  And you'll get to work with other people who are going through the same kind of thing." 

Realistically, I don't know what kind of business I would want to open, but it's something I'm seriously considering.

Well, I've just said "yes" to doing a news-paper interview and will do my best to present myself as the rational, intelligent, and clear-headed individual I am, and I will address the trans-related question in as calm and clear manner as I am capable of.

As some people already noted, presenting yourself as a normal person, with normal behaviour, being friendly, will certainly convince a lot of people we're also just people. Just smile and be friendly, and be open about who you are, be proud!

Hi.

  THis puts me in the postion of not what i can do .  its what i have done & am doing.

  over the last few years i had been invited to share my life , on our two main T V  stations   in  N, Z,   have interviews both for papers as well ,   speak to groups of people & be on the networks .just use my name.
& join groups of people who are quite publc & involving a few 1000 people.

When your asked to be a public figger & talk about your background & be very open about your life & be invited to do so is for me a  prvilage . & then to top it off be accepted as a person & then as a woman,     i think thats a high light for me.

...noeleena...

This last weekend I attended a queer meeting and was entertaining, rational, intelligent, helpful, myself, and so on.
I shared links with the other transgender folk there (and there was an astonishingly high number of us) and calmly played "20 questions" with the most inquisitive lesbian I've ever met.

To be honest, I don't think it helped "much" at all as there didn't seem to be anything to "help" at all.