Transgender And Isolated Do Not Mix

Transgender and/or gender non-conforming people should never feel alone or isolated. The advent of the Internet has helped to bring the Transgender community together in many positive ways. Face to face dialog is far more important. Peer support groups offer a newly transitioning Transgender person the opportunity to share their experiences and feelings with other Trans folks in a safe environment. If you are reading this and are looking for a Transgender support group, please feel free to comment on this post. Trans Talk is followed globally and in every state and territory of the United States. I suspect we can find a group for you or help you in starting a support group.  TransMentors International is another great resource for those who are isolated in a remote area or even in a major metropolitan area. Transgender group holds community-building conference in Durham By Joey Cresta Sunday, March 7, 2010 DURHAM — TransGender New Hampshire held an event in town Saturday to discuss ways to educate the community and foster acceptance for transgender individuals. The 25 people in attendance also found a support network in those around them. Several people at the roundtable conference discussed the difficulty of living within a marginalized group in American society. Joelle Ruby Ryan, an organizer for TG-NH, said the organization, created in the fall, hopes to create a sense of community for transgender people. Ryan, a male-to-female transgender woman, said New Hampshire can be a "challenging environment" for people like her because of antipathy from other sectors of the community. "There needs to be a support network," she said. M. Mae Dunn, a public speaker and activist with TransMentors International, said the community needs to be educated on transgender and genderqueer identities. She identified herself as genderqueer and said mainstream society needs to better understand "transcending gender and its relation to biological sex." Dunn pointed out that gender perceptions change throughout cultures and eras. Gender identities are not static, she said, noting how pink used to be a masculine color. While the transgender community is well-connected online, Saturday presented a rare opportunity to gather multiple people from various backgrounds in one place, she said. "Today's about unifying the trans community in New Hampshire," Dunn said. She said there are innumerable ways someone might identify their gender and it can be difficult to find someone else who shares the same thoughts. That's why at TransMentors International, they find one-on-one mentors to provide a "helping hand and a welcome shoulder" for transgender people, she said. Dunn urged others who may not understand alternative gender identities not to make assumptions, adding, "we come from a variety of experiences." ORIGINAL ARTICLE