Resources & Support For Trans Teens

To prevent further loss of life, we need to help families and the community support trans people.

Hi,

In light of today’s piece about Alex, it’s important to share some places where support can be found.

To prevent further loss of life, we need to help families support trans young people, ensure medical and social services are equipped to understand and respond to their needs, and resource community organisations to wrap support around them.

Here are some resources and support services working to achieve these ends. If appropriate, feel free to add additional resources — in your part of the world — in the comments, or email me privately on davidfarrier@protonmail.com with any feedback.

New Zealand:

Be There is a website and awareness campaign that aims to support the parents and whānau of trans, non-binary, takatāpui, queer, intersex, and rainbow young people to be more inclusive, affirming and safe. www.be-there.nz

NZ Parents and Guardians of Transgender and Gender Diverse Children is a parent-led group that provides information, guidance, advice, and companionship to help parents and guardians who have transgender or gender-diverse children. They provide support through a secret Facebook group. To join or find support visit www.transgenderchildren.nz

Storm Clouds and Rainbows - The Journey of Parenting a Transgender Child is an illustrated resource for parents of transgender young people in Aotearoa, based on interviews with parents of a range of social and cultural backgrounds: https://www.projectvillageaotearoa.com/parent-resource

Growing up Takatāpui - Whānau Journeys is a resource about the importance of whānau support for takatāpui young people: https://takatapui.nz/growing-up-takatapui

InsideOUT Kōaro provides a range of services that support rainbow young people to have a sense of safety and belonging in their schools and communities. InsideOUT specialises in supporting schools to be rainbow inclusive and can support students, family and whānau around any challenges you might be facing with schools, or help you choose a more inclusive school for your child. www.insideout.org.nz

RainbowYOUTH provides 1:1 peer support to queer, gender diverse, intersex and takatāpui youth and their whānau across Aotearoa, with peer support groups and in-person support available in Northland, Auckland, Taranaki, and Bay of Plenty. They can help with housing, support for parents and whānau, transitioning, accessing gender affirming care, coming out, information and resources. www.ry.org.nz

OutLine Aotearoa provides a nationwide, free, and confidential support line (0800 OUTLINE - 0800 688 5463) and online chat service at outline.org.nz/chat between 6pm-9pm every evening, for people who want to speak to a trained volunteer from rainbow communities. OutLine also provides specialist counselling for rainbow people and their whānau and an Auckland-based trans and nonbinary peer support service which can provide whānau support. www.outline.org.nz

Gender Minorities Aotearoa is a nationwide transgender organisation. It is run by and for transgender people, including binary and non-binary, intersex, and irawhiti takatāpui. GMA supports transgender people of all ages, cultures, and backgrounds, and provides one-to-one peer support and information nationwide. www.genderminorities.com

You can find more organisations working locally in your area on the Be There website: www.bethere.nz/groups-and-support

Australia:

Transcend provide support to families of trans people : https://transcend.org.au/

Europe & Central Asia

TGEU are a trans advocacy group across Europe and Central Asia: https://www.tgeu.org/

USA:

Advocates for Trans Equality fights for the legal and political rights of transgender people in America: https://transequality.org