We are sending this newsletter out as monthly forum private message to keep you up to date on the web site, and all the goings on. In this edition we will be covering:
- We need your Support & Subscriber Drive
- Welcome
- A message from Susan
- Follow us on Social Networks
- Secure Server
- Chat
- Forums
- Links
- Minecraft
- News
- Wiki
- Notifications
We need your SupportThanks to the members last month we made up for 3-4 months of budget shortfalls. We are now at the break even point for the year! Thank you all so very much! I can't tell you how much stress that took off my back. As you may have noticed the goal is back to the normal $2,000 level. That covers both the site and my expenses.
We are currently 12 days into a 31 day month, and so far we have received $486.99 of the $2,000 we must have in order to meet the expenses for the month. Leaving us $1513.01 short of what is needed for this month, For those who can step up and donate or subscribe please consider doing so. Since the 1st of January of 2015 I have been able to give my 24x7 attention to the site. Something only possible with your continued support.
I would still like to establish a decent (several months of expenses) buffer to ensure that we don't get to the point that the bills won't be paid if we have a month were we receive lower than expected donations.
We are up 11 subscriber since the previous newsletter! So we currently have 114 active subscribers! I would like to see number that increase to 250. We have 23,406 members (up 398 members since last newsletter), so surely that's not asking too much.
To help make subscribing a more affordable for those who are on tight incomes we have a Bronze subscription for $5.00 a month. For those who want to do more, we have several platinum options ranging from $50.00-$1000.00 a month. We also have a Gold ($20.00 a month), and Silver (10$ a month) option. If you can afford to do so please consider committing $5.00, $10.00, $20.00, $50.00, or more a month to help support Susan's Place. Your subscriptions are budgetable, and that helps me to know where the site stands financially.
If you can't donate or subscribe, I understand fully! However, if you can even small amounts make a big difference, when you add them all up!
If you would like to donate to the site, or contribute directly towards my transition; without sending it through paypal you can send a check or money order to:
Susan Larson
709 Perkins Ave
Clarksville, TN 37040.
Please make offline donations payable to Susan Larson, so that I don't have trouble with the bank. Please note your forum username; and what you wish the donation to go towards, all donations will be used towards whatever purpose the donor specifies. Also indicate if you wish your site donations to be public (Shows up on the donation list on the site), or private.
Together we make the difference. So please consider Donating or subscribing!
Thank you!
Susan Larson
Welcome!In April 2016, 243,006 people visited the site, accounting for 5,699,929 page views. As of April, in 2016, our news articles were viewed a total of 218,479 times (number may not be not 100% accurate due to missing stats), 21,517 times in April.
Our top 10 articles in 2016 are:
Views - Title
14,457 -
Transgender Kids Allowed To Live Openly 'Have Good Mental Health' 2,373 -
Was that Will Smith's son Jaden wearing a dress 1,779 -
Just like a Woman (New!)
1,688 -
Prospects for a Trump Victory and What it Means For Us (New!)
1,579 -
March 31: International Transgender Day of Visibility (New!)
1,501 -
To Finish the Row 1,468 -
Transgender girl kickstarts a blue, pink and white house next to Westboro Baptist Church (New!)
1,437 -
Transgender Romantic Woes: Preference or Prejudice? 1,410 -
Transgender teen wins case to cut contact with adoptive parents(New!)
1,410 -
Seven Things Legislators Need to Know about Bathroom Rights (New!)
We have added translate options all of the major pages of the website. We have also added an international area on the forums with sub forums for each of the major languages which allows non-English speaking transgender individuals to receive support directly in their native languages.
A message from SusanTo bring you up to date:
My personal expenses have increased due to my transition finally beginning to move forward once again.
I have a doctor who can help me get back on hormones. I have been off of them way, way, way, too long! I estimate that it will take roughly $500 to allow me to do so. I should hopefully find out tomorrow if he will handle them for me.
My transition has been going extremely well, but the one thing that still grates at me, is my voice. I would like to look at voice surgery, I estimate the cost of that will be approximately $8,000.
This year my landlady has also informed me she will be increasing my rent. She hasn't done so in the 5+ years I have lived in this house, so I can't bitch too much about it. It's will still be cheaper than just about anywhere else in this town. When that comes the monthly goal (which is the bare minimum needed to pay the bills) will have to be increased. I have kept it steady at $2,000 since putting it up in 2013, so I hope no one will begrudge me a small cost of living increase, after 3 years without one.
For information on how to help me with these needs directly see the "We need your Support" section above.
I want to give a special thank you to Warlockmaker, Devlyn, and Cindy for their loving assistance! They each went above and beyond the pale! A special recognition also goes out to katrinaw, Rachel Lynn, Ms Grace, Samantha C, Lillyblack, Jill F, michelle_kelly, ButterflyVickster, JLT1, and LaurenL for their generousity and support for the web site! Without all of them we would not be where we are today!
I also want to give thanks to:
Samantha C, JoanneB, SamiT, JessicaSondelli, Rachel Lynn, NikkiJ, Michelle_P, marie, lilijames, HappyMoni, EmmaD, Emileeeee, Devlyn Marie, Bluetmp, BeverlyAnn, valerie anne, sasaki, SamKelley, Robyn, KatieSeattle, JessieA, FrancisAnn, Eva Marie, Dayta, Autrement, ryokohimura, Violet Bloom, rosinstraya, Rem, Ravens_cry, MsMouse, Mickey58, Maria77, KelliL, joanie, FriendsCallMeChris, Dana60, Beth Andrea, Riley111, Jenelle, Elena2015, laura_j81, HeatherR, ToniB, Stevie, Skyler, Shiratori, Saki, rose826, pj, Ny, Marcia, MANDY GG, Lucie, KathyLauren, Josefa, HouseHippo, geri, emyrinth, ElizabethK, deecee, Cynobyte, chaseinspace, awilliams1701, amsj42, Blackierobinson, Skyler, zirconia, yourstrulydanae, valerie anne, Sophieraven, SonadoraXVX, Soli, LoriLorenz, LeeLee, Kristinagl, Kathyroland, Jonathan L, Jennifer.L, Jannet.duff, ElricOfAmestris, claraevening, AprilV, and Aazhie. There were 9 non-members, and 25 additional members who chose not to be recognized.
They all stepped up last month when I was in dire straits.
Follow us on Social NetworksSusan's Place has accounts on
facebook and
twitter. We would love to see you follow us there! Be the first to find out about new stories, the reason for downtime, and general links of interest from our social networking and admin teams.
Secure ServerTo help protect our members, and to enhance your privacy when you browse the site; I have added SSL encryption to Susan's Place. All communications between you and the server are now encrypted with 256 bit security. This means your ISP, your employer, or other parties cannot see what you are browsing when you are on Susan's Place. You will receive a warning, if anyone attempts to intercept your connection to the server.
ChatIf life isn't good at least let it be exciting!
Our month was pretty routine and I'm at a loss at what to tell you all about. We did add a new channel op, Serena, who is still green but beginning to slide into her niche quite nicely. We also have welcomed back a former ircOp, Osiris, who left us for awhile while doing real life stuff (borrrrrrrrrrrrring!
) but has now been gracious enough to give us his time and energy to help make our space safe and fun.
Choosing chat staff is something I take very seriously because of the chat rooms' real time immediacy and often rapidly changing conditions that require good judgment without a lot of time to make a decision. Sometimes that can cause a problem and we have to go back and clean up a bit but I think it a measure of the high quality people we have looking after things that these trips back to make things right are few and far between.
It's doubly important when we have people who come in who may be facing a crisis in their lives, something that happens all too often in our community. A wrong phrase or misjudged comment can cause true and lasting harm if you aren't careful. I know we aren't perfect and I also know we do a damned fine job with people who are reaching out for a lifeline from this part of their community. Connection is vital for everyone's health, it's part of being human, wired into our psyche, and our team are up to the job providing the means by which connection can happen. Even if it's just words on the screen, having somebody in real time who really understands is often life saving.
In any event, please let again me invite you all to come visit us in #Chat, maybe start a conversation or two? It's fun, informative and you'll get some great typing practice in!
We do our best to keep the space as safe as we can and, every now and then, when something serious comes up, maybe we can give you some advice that works for you!
BCNU (be seein' you) all there soon! (I hope!)
Hugs & Smiles
HelenW
ForumsMay! OMG does time fly!
While my Northern friends are looking forward to summer here in the great Southern Continent we are fighting off one of the warmest summers to go into winter. In Adelaide we had our first rains with more due this weekend. It is strange living in a Land where drought is normal and rain seen as something rather odd!
The Forum has been as busy as ever and it has been great to have a number of SO's join to discuss their issues. Transitioning in a relationship is fraught with worry and concerns by both partners and I remind people to be very respectful of the concerns that SO's have.
The end of April also saw the International Talk Like Shakespeare Day, it was rather amusing that this happened as some Southern States of the USA brought in bathroom bills; To pee or not to pee, became the question!
The Forum is dependent upon the time and effort that the General Moderators put in. They all put in an incredible effort but in particular I want to thank Dena and Mariah. Dena seems to exist on no sleep and Mariah not only looks after the Forum, but also Chat and her Mum and brother.
Thank you ladies, you are both very close to my heart.
If anyone wants to commit (or be committed!) to being a GM please contact me.
Also I am very happy to talk to people by PM if you have an issue, or just want to talk. But it can take a day or so to get back to people.
Love to you all
Cindy and the GM team.
Links DirectoryMay is traditionally the month that the most people step up and volunteer for a position on the Links Staff, and I expect this year to be no different!
We have close to 2,000 links in 322 categories and the goal is to make that database the best and largest in the world. That means fingers on keyboards, and when I say fingers, I mean YOUR fingers! So what are you waiting for?
Get in touch with me and help us build this resource for the transgender community.
Hugs, Devlyn
Links Admin
MinecraftWe're almost half way into 2016, and the future is now! This month we are to due to update to Minecraft 1.9 - which upgrades PVP and add many new features.
This means that the survival world will be completely reset to include all the new features - so new players - your time is now! And old players, enjoy an entire new world to explore and build in!
Staff are still working on Arcade, and things are really beginning to take shape. I would like to thank Nyxwolf and Frozynheart especially for their contributions, despite being new to the staff team they are a great example to everyone who plays here. Thank you!
Even though we have many talented and hard working server staff, we are always happy to have an extra pair of hands, so if you would like to contribute to the server by filling the position of Moderator (a position without building expectations) or Staff (someone to moderate and tae part in staff builds) PM me, Meowt, for information!
2016 is a shaping up to big year for the server, so what are you waiting for?!
Meowt (MC Admin)
NewsNo news update received this month
WikiIt's May! This year is absolutely flying by.
In this last official month of spring, the Wiki staff is continuing to clean up existing articles, remove dead links, and move pages to into more logical pathways. We've made over 5000 word changes to the Wiki over the last month alone, and will be looking to do even more this month. If you have time to click through links to see what still works, rewrite sections, expand on existing articles, or add new ones - get in touch! We would welcome the help. The only requirement is that you have 100+ posts on the forum.
Wishing you a great month!
Max
NotificationsPlease note, this newsletter was sent to you via forum pm. If you received an email notification about it, that is because you have the option to receive notifications of new private messages turned on in your profile. You can turn that off at any time.
The newsletter is sent monthly to all registered members of the forums.
Regards,
The Susan's Place Transgender Resources Team.
https://www.susans.org/
