Susan, you do not deserve these uninformed, illiterate responses. I do hope they are posted here as information.
You know your heart is huge, your sacrifice is applauded by many.
I think you do not get enough from what you do, have built, have sacrificed, have lost. You are an exceptional leader and it's a shame the very minor percentage who are here cannot see you for who you are.
A beautiful person doing the absolute best they can with the minimum of resources.
You are, and will always, be loved by those that care.
Hugs and love
Sue.


Cheers Sue.

Susan, are these messages you're receiving e-mail or by PM here on the site?  I seem to remember back in the wilder days when flame wars were common, we used to have the capability of banning an IP address or am I remembering incorrectly?  I'm thinking of a particular person who ended up banned.

I used to be a Moderator of a Pancreatitis support site. All the people who used to post on this site were very very sick. But every now and then some random would come into the group and target someone...vulnerable people bit like here. I never understood it then and I don't now. You have to wonder at the mentality of someone who attacks like this, allegations that no one with half a brain would or could take seriously...I think we all know with whom/where the issues really lie and it is not here.

Liz

My goodness! Idle threats under the veil of total illiteracy and poor diction to boot. Really drives the point home....L.O.L.
     Don't let the silly trolls get you down, Susan. And certainly, never, ever, never feed them by answering them. It just emboldens them to engage in further nonsense. That ridiculous missive should have went straight into the trash without another thought. Your Reply does however prove what a sincere, conscientious woman you are. I like that!
                     Thank you!!

Quote from: BeverlyAnn on September 06, 2016, 04:43:15 PM
Susan, are these messages you're receiving e-mail or by PM here on the site?  I seem to remember back in the wilder days when flame wars were common, we used to have the capability of banning an IP address or am I remembering incorrectly?  I'm thinking of a particular person who ended up banned.

Email, but the ip is masked by their using a third party email service which does not properly report the originating ip.

Well, new here and I have no bias pro or con to anyone here. But, I can say one of the reasons I like this forum is because it is so inclusive of the entire LGBTQ community. The money thing, who cares. If you got extra and want to give, great. If not, Susan is not kicking you out. I don't have the extra money to donate but I still feel welcomed here.

Quote from: Sinclair on September 06, 2016, 08:55:54 PM
Well, new here and I have no bias pro or con to anyone here. But, I can say one of the reasons I like this forum is because it is so inclusive of the entire LGBTQ community. The money thing, who cares. If you got extra and want to give, great. If not, Susan is not kicking you out. I don't have the extra money to donate but I still feel welcomed here.

If you ever do not feel welcome here please let me know via forum pm so I can fix it!

Quote from: Sinclair on September 06, 2016, 08:55:54 PM
Well, new here and I have no bias pro or con to anyone here. But, I can say one of the reasons I like this forum is because it is so inclusive of the entire LGBTQ community. The money thing, who cares. If you got extra and want to give, great. If not, Susan is not kicking you out. I don't have the extra money to donate but I still feel welcomed here.

I definitely feel the same way. This community is very receptive and understanding. Even if I weren't transgender, I'd feel welcomed to learn more from all the friendly interaction that goes on, here. Unless you're a troll, you'd be hard pressed to find any type of exclusion.

Other people derive income from their blogs and sites while providing a service (sometimes nothing more than pure entertainment) to others. I see no reason that Susan cannot do the same, especially after she has delayed her own transition and lived on a shoestring for so long. Sounds like just deserts and good ol' American capitalism to me.

another keyboard warrior who has nothing better to do with there time other than course grievance and hatred, i don't really know about the laws in other countries but here in the UK a case without viable evidence classed as hear say would be thrown out the court room. i like this forum and have no issue with it at all. The admin, moderators and members have all been helpful and nice to me, i haven't spoken to Susan my self but I'm not one to judge i have no reasons to, i really hope it bites him in the A**, what hes done is rude, self centered and a complete disregard to ones feelings. 

One person objected to me asking members for financial help saying, "Seriously? Asking for money???
She can open her legs Like the rest of us can't she??   Stop messaging me...  I'm in the same predicament"

But as the message clearly stated, "For those who are unable to help out, we understand totally! Many people are in tight financial situations, something Susan understands quite well. This message directed to those who are able and willing to step up and contribute! Anything at all will help!"

Quote from: Susan on September 29, 2016, 06:26:33 PM
One person objected to me asking members for financial help saying, "Seriously? Asking for money???
She can open her legs Like the rest of us can't she??   Stop messaging me...  I'm in the same predicament"

But as the message clearly stated, "For those who are unable to help out, we understand totally! Many people are in tight financial situations, something Susan understands quite well. This message directed to those who are able and willing to step up and contribute! Anything at all will help!"

Gah!  I hate it when people make THAT suggestion. It's horrible and demeaning, and I wish that nobody ever has to resort to that.  I know, I know, but what a nasty suggestion!

And Susan, your message is perfectly clear.  Alas, reading comprehension is not a requirement for access to the Internet.  Some folks have Write-Only Minds, and can't comprehend written content longer than three words.

OK, maybe that's a little harsh, but I really wish people would try a little harder rather than living their online lives in Hypersensitive Outrage Mode. 

How strange.  This site is 100% voluntary donation based.  How can one be upset when they are not required in any way to contribute to the site and your well being?

I love this site.  Thank you Susan

ah man people need to grow up.

give my 60 days i will def be in a position to help out a little, every little bit helps.. you do amazing work and have a huge heart.

this is the best site i have found out there.

I had someone yesterday breathlessly post to my facebook, "Do they know you take member donations for personal use?" I just deleted it, but so you all know this is 100% true.

This web site isn't a non-profit, and I have never claimed for it to be.

After the bills for the site are are paid donations are used for three purpose, establish an operational buffer something that was worn down recently, pay for unbudgeted expenses, and $1400 per month is used to allow me to pay my bills.

$1400 a month works out to a grand total of $8.75 per hour with a 40 hour week, (I work way more than that), and is the absolute minimum I can receive and still pay the bills, and eat.  I could make as much working a whole lot less hours at a convenience store. 

The web site's bills are always paid before anything else. There have been months I wasn't paid through the site at all due to shortfalls in reaching the monthly goal, like for 5 straight months in 2015. 

They also asked how they get in on such a lucrative scheme like that, well here's that answer. First you come up with a idea to provide a service that people need but which doesn't exist. Then you invest over $175,000 of your own money in direct cash, and lost wages and other benefits.

You do so for 18 years without asking for a dime of help from anyone, members cannot even donate during that time if they wanted to. You even put your life on hold to ensure that this resource remains available to the community. When you start accepting member donations it's strictly voluntary, no one is forced to contribute, and no one is denied access because they are unable or unwilling to do so.

Once you finally start being compensated when you lose the job that paid the bills for the web site for 19 years you take the bare minimum you need to survive, then for the next 2 years you don't get any cost of living increases, health insurance, or other benefits.

Now that I work on the site full time, I spend around 12-18 hours per day 7 days a week working on the web site or things directly related to it. That's an average of 105 hours a week (5,460 hours a year) with no overtime pay. If I was given a straight hourly paycheck even without overtime I should be making roughly $47,775 a year at $8.75 per hour, I receive around $16,800.

Really a lucrative deal isn't it?

yes you are amazing  and have a huge heart, i have split from my partner for 16years and just in a new place by myself... soo waiting on expenses to settle before i can do anything.. and thats heartbreaking, so i know how it feels to not spend money on yourself. i expect to be up to date on bills and CS payments in under 60days, and then i will def donate to this site and to help you. many zen hugs V

Some people are so darn dim.

Of course we're paying Susan to keep this running.  What do they think, that Susan is some trust fund baby who just puts in 60 hour weeks for a hobby for the fun of it?  Running a web site with so many moving parts, database back ends, multiple front ends, forums that need editorial supervision, content curation, and teams of volunteers helping isn't going to be a fun spare time activity.

It's a full time job.  Oh, it can be fun, or have fun parts.  I certainly hope that's true for Susan.  It can be incredibly fulfilling to do something like this that has a positive impact on so many lives. But, expecting someone to do this much, for this long, without some form of compensation beyond the odd "Attagirl!" isn't really reasonable.

She deserves to get a living wage.

We're all hiring her to help us by keeping this 24/7 floating support group up and running.  That's why we get subscriptions, and make contributions.  Oh, it may not be an official tax deduction, but come on!  Most of us aren't in a high income situation where we even can do itemized tax deductions that have a net effect.  Instead, we all do it for the spiritual "Attagirl!", "Attaboy!", and "Attathey!"

Good job, well done, and thank you, contributors and subscribers, for helping Susan with what is looking like her life's work!  And thank you, Susan, for giving us a safe place.

I wish we could collectively pay you more!  (Hint, hint!)

Well said Michelle! They are many people out there that are just ignorant, angry or just plain small minded. They have no clue what the needs and or interests are in the community. Susan you have done a great service to our community. I know that when I came out, I did not know where to get information or support. It was just fortunate that I came across 'Susan's
Place'!.

Quote from: Michelle_P on October 02, 2016, 01:24:41 PM
Some people are so darn dim.

Of course we're paying Susan to keep this running.  What do they think, that Susan is some trust fund baby who just puts in 60 hour weeks for a hobby for the fun of it?  Running a web site with so many moving parts, database back ends, multiple front ends, forums that need editorial supervision, content curation, and teams of volunteers helping isn't going to be a fun spare time activity.

It's a full time job.  Oh, it can be fun, or have fun parts.  I certainly hope that's true for Susan.  It can be incredibly fulfilling to do something like this that has a positive impact on so many lives. But, expecting someone to do this much, for this long, without some form of compensation beyond the odd "Attagirl!" isn't really reasonable.

She deserves to get a living wage.

We're all hiring her to help us by keeping this 24/7 floating support group up and running.  That's why we get subscriptions, and make contributions.  Oh, it may not be an official tax deduction, but come on!  Most of us aren't in a high income situation where we even can do itemized tax deductions that have a net effect.  Instead, we all do it for the spiritual "Attagirl!", "Attaboy!", and "Attathey!"

Good job, well done, and thank you, contributors and subscribers, for helping Susan with what is looking like her life's work!  And thank you, Susan, for giving us a safe place.

I wish we could collectively pay you more!  (Hint, hint!)

]

Gosh Michelle, How dare you make so damned much sense. This is the interwebs. Good job Girl! Elucidation is a difficult task. If you have to take up the mantle, your adversary will inevitably beat you with their cunningly slow minded arguments that are the sole property of the hebetude.  I wish Susan would quit entertaining their nonsense with her ethics and caring. It's like feeding the trolls. Those that matter....will carry on and those that don't, will fall by the wayside where they belong. But I am impressed with her altruism and single mindedness of purpose.

It's your website Susan, how you use your donations is your prerogative

Possibly some folks don't quite understand why this site is called Susan's Place and the years of sacrifice you have endured to keep your site running

Maybe they should learn to appreciate the fact that such a premier website even exists

Many transgender people including myself would have no support and would be totally lost without somewhere to find the support provided by the members and staff here at Susan's Place

Thank you for providing such a place

Hugs

V M