I love kids but I can't have any at this point because it's incredibly expensive to go through surrogacy or adoption and we're moving to Indiana which bans the first one and makes LGBT adoption incredibly painful.

Does anyone know of any organizations that accept volunteers without discriminating against sexual orientation or being transgender? I know Big Brothers Big Sisters don't discriminate against sexual orientation but I can't find anything about being transgender.

In an ironic twist of 'haha screw you universe' my husband who is an Eagle Scout is technically banned from being involved in Boy Scouts because he's married to a genetic female trans man. It makes me laugh and want to punch a wall at the same time. Sheer stupidity makes me irritable.

I don't know if you are into anime or anything like that, but there is a large amount of kids nowadays that are either already trans or looking to change and need a mentor.  Maybe you could do something like that?

Quote from: Darkie on May 25, 2013, 11:42:15 PM
I don't know if you are into anime or anything like that, but there is a large amount of kids nowadays that are either already trans or looking to change and need a mentor.  Maybe you could do something like that?

I'm confused about how anime falls into this subject... not trying to be rude, I'm just wondering how anime relates to the rest of your post... or the original question. 

As for places to volunteer... I'm not sure what you have in your area, but my local transgender support group has a big brother (or big sister) program where you can take another trans guy under your wing kind of... but then you may not be helping a kid, but someone who may even be older than you, just not as far in transition. 

There are a few wilderness camps around here where anyone can volunteer to be a counselor (or other staff position) but I'm in Colorado...

Oh, because I've been to a few cons where there were actually panels that were It Gets Better ones and kids had talked about their gender issues or asked questions.  Some of them are scared and don't know where to turn because they don't have people in their home lives that can help them with such issues.  I realize it was kinda random looking back.  I'm sorry I didn't explain that better.  I think I spaced and didn't finish the sentence like I had planned on.

Haha, don't be sorry, I was just confused.  Conventions are great places to volunteer anyway... and there are not only anime conventions.  If you're nerdy/geeky enough (like me) to go to them, volunteering may be fun. 

I've never been to one with a panel like that, but it sounds cool.

I went to my first panel at the local con here that Greg Ayers ran.  If you don't know who that is, he is a voice actor.  I made a really good new friend at it and I really felt at home.  It was a great feeling.  But, I noticed that a few of the kids really needed a mentor or someone to help give them support from what they were saying.  A lot of them didn't have support back home and felt really alone.

Probably not what you're looking for but if you're interested in mentoring young adults then you could do the trans mentor program online.  Might be worth checking out.

http://theevolutionofman.org/index.html

Thanks for all the suggestions!

It's too late for this year but there is a trans camp on the east and west coast. I don't know that it might just be volunteer but it sounds like a cool opportunity.

This is the one I know about but I think there are others. http://www.camparanutiq.org/
Several of the conferences (like Gender Odyssey) also take volunteers.

--Jay

That camp thing looks like an awesome opportunity and might even work well with my school schedule. Definitely going to do some digging on that one and see if I could afford the travel costs.

Sorry, but why would they need to know?

Quote from: randomroads on May 26, 2013, 09:29:29 PM
That camp thing looks like an awesome opportunity and might even work well with my school schedule. Definitely going to do some digging on that one and see if I could afford the travel costs.

I think the counselors are likely to be trans college kids on break. It gives everybody a neat opportunity.

--Jay

Quote from: stenomaster on May 26, 2013, 11:18:08 PM
Sorry, but why would they need to know?

For one, I don't pass. Two, none of my official documents have M on them and while I really want to get that changed soon, I don't see it happening by next summer. Three, you can't hide your birth gender/birth name from the background checks these sort of places do. They will find out, and they'll want to know why I wasn't honest from the start and that looks very bad. The next question would be 'Well what else are you hiding from us?' Not something I ever wanted associated with my name and reputation since I want to keep doors open instead of alienate everyone.

good you want to help kids. I think alot of transkids like help from a mentor or older/more experience transperson who pretty much been throught all the things and who can help with advice and to listen.
I been having kind of a mentor role myself regardless of age from very young kids to adults. For me it seams obvious for me that its something I have to do. Of corse deep down its my own choice but I know many need some help and for me transgender arnt often they also feel like my famely im helping out.

Actually am older than you am pretty sure.   I kind of "adopted" a young transguy. He is just graduated from high school, and I do the mentor kind of thing--listen to him, talk with him about stuff, etc. It's pretty fun. I met him at the trans center. But there are high school LBGT groups, if you are college age. Being closer in age can be an advantage because you more know what stuff is like when you were his age. I don't actually have that frame of reference. I more just listen.


--Jay