TransLife Center renewing Chicago House, changing trans lives
by Kate Sosin, Windy City Times
2013-01-18
http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/TransLife-Center-renewing-Chicago-House-changing-trans-lives/41210.html (http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/TransLife-Center-renewing-Chicago-House-changing-trans-lives/41210.html)
A couple years ago, Chicago House staff learned that its services were falling short for transgender clients.
Trisha Holloway, a transgender woman interning in the organization's Sweet Misgiving's bakery at the time, reported that she felt unsupported at the agency.
The moment was a wake-up call for the 25 year-old organization.
"I just thought I knew all this stuff," said Stan Sloan, CEO of Chicago House.
But the more the agency explored the challenges facing transgender people, the more apparent it became that Chicago House had work to do.
Working with Holloway and other transgender people, Chicago House started making changes. Gendered bathroom markers were replaced with "unisex" signs, interview applications were re-written to be trans-inclusive and board members were trained. All staff members were sent on a retreat to Center on Halsted to learn about transgender issues.
As Chicago House staffers learned more, they saw serious gaps in services for trans people across agencies and government entities. The traditional structures were not working for many trans people for myriad reasons. And the more Chicago House learned about transgender issues, the deeper it found itself in the search for solutions.