A friend of mine and I were discussing how awesome it would be if there was a local charity that actually helped out transgenders with all their legal and surgery related financial needs (like basic surgery needed for court to recognize your gender, and then the actual legal name and gender change).

So my first question is, how would we go about doing something like this? And what are some creative ways to establish, promote, and receive money for it?

Secondly, one of my original ideas was to write a book, with obviously all the proceeds going straight to our "foundation"... It would be a compilation on the different aspects of gender, like stories, cartoons, articles, information, poetry. A mix of chicken soup and the "such and such" for dummies. Which I think would be an amazing way to promote education on the subject.

Which leads me to my second question, does anyone have any ideas or contributions? I wanna hear your story. I mean where you're at in life.
If you don't feel comfortable talking about it here in the forum, please send me a message.

Yeah, maybe its a little far-fetched, but I'm tired of just wishing there was something like that out there, and I'm ready to actively start making change.

I'm not really addressing the bulk of your post, but...

Those who want to make a legal name change but can't afford it should ask about a Financial Waiver Affidavit.
When filing the papers at your local courthouse in the US, this additional form asks the county to pick up the court costs and legal ad fee.
If you are sufficiently poor, you may get your legal name change for free.

Quote from: Thurston on November 08, 2008, 05:16:21 AM
Secondly, one of my original ideas was to write a book, with obviously all the proceeds going straight to our "foundation"... It would be a compilation on the different aspects of gender, like stories, cartoons, articles, information, poetry. A mix of chicken soup and the "such and such" for dummies. Which I think would be an amazing way to promote education on the subject.

Which leads me to my second question, does anyone have any ideas or contributions? I wanna hear your story. I mean where you're at in life.
If you don't feel comfortable talking about it here in the forum, please send me a message.

Hi Thurston,

If you decide to do a book, I'd be interested in contributing something for it. Please keep me posted.

Zythyra

Id say if you where going to write a book if you have a skilled writer try to design a fantasy or sci-fi techno thriller with a tg main char who was altered through magic or technology and that way you could pick up a larger number of readers outside the LGBT community as well and many of them wouldn't even realize it was a TG book since their minds will accept fiction over reality then donate all the procedes of the sales to funding a organization. If the book even became extermely popular then the writer could even use their fame to speak on LGBT right and issues, but im being very idealistic here. Anyway good luck with that idea.