Kids of Trans Resource Guide On the Web

Some movers and shakers are spreading the word about the Kids of Trans Resource Guide. Donna Rose posted this great article on Bilerico Project, explaining from a parent's perspective just how important the KOT Guide will be for transgender families:

Part of the problem was that there were no resources for me to give to my son to
help him. There was nothing to help him understand, to know what to expect, to
help him realize that he wasn't alone. There was no support network, so we were
left to struggle through all the difficult issues on our own. Far too many
trans-people become permanently estranged from their children as feelings of
discomfort, anger, shame, and confusion pervade the relationship. Many of us
never recover from this heartbreaking loss.

The good news is that times have changed. Tools and support networks to help transitioning parents and their children are being developed. Case in point is the recent announcement from COLAGE of the development of a groundbreaking guide for people with transgender parents, a Kids of Trans Resource Guide.

I am eternally grateful for Donna's continued support and appreciation of my work. She is an incredible role model with a strong voice in the LGBT community whose post will surely bring more visibility to the Kids of Trans Program.

Queerspawn activist and author Abigail Garner also blogged about the KOT Resource Guide. I'm proud to share it with her, since she was one of the first people to encourage me to write the guide. I contacted her while researching my thesis on people with transgender parents, looking for resources for my paper. She was writing Families Like Mine at the time and assured me that my research was much needed. Five years later, she's spreading the appreciation:

Congratulations to Monica Canfield-Lenfest who is celebrating the release of her
new resource guide for people with transparents. This guide is a culmination of
her personal experience of having a transparent and her recent years of advocacy
and community building, topped off with several months as a fellow at the COLAGE
headquarters.

Thanks, Abigail!

The Kids of Trans Resource Guide is now available online. You can still request paper copies, too. As you can see above, they're rather handsome.

It's Here!

Why, yes, that is a copy of the Kids of Trans Resource Guide in my hand. Contact me for a copy of your own. If you're in the Bay Area, you can pick one up at the Transgender Family Picnic tomorrow afternoon in Dolores Park.

Needless to say, it's been a big week.

Happy Gay Marriage Day from California!

Joyfully, this is the third state I've called home that has legalized same-sex unions (2 out of 3 have marriage equality). Today was an incredible day to be in San Francisco. You may recognize COLAGE's own Beth Teper celebrating this morning, pictured above as seen in the NY Times.

The court's ruling was strongly worded:

“In view of the substance and significance of the fundamental constitutional right to form a family relationship,” Chief Justice George wrote, “the California Constitution properly must be interpreted to guarantee this basic civil right to all Californians, whether gay or heterosexual, and to same-sex couples as well as to opposite-sex couples.”

Yeah... it's about equal rights.

This ruling does not signal 'full equality' in California as some have said today, but rather marriage equality - one institution. There is still plenty of inequality in this state and throughout the world. Marriage equality solves some very real problems for many people - including thousands of families in the country's largest state. It will not cure many of the inequalities that LGBT people (and all people) of this state experience, but it does send a loud message that people should be allowed to marry, regardless of their sexual orientation. Let us remember this as we celebrate.

It's a great day to be gay in San Francisco.

Kids of Trans Resource Guide

The KOT Resource Guide went to the printer today, which means it's actually written. I should have 1000 copies of the 40-page booklet by May 16th. Luckily, we found a great designer named Amie LeeKing who was able to work hard all last week to make it pretty. It's so exciting!

Email me at kidsoftrans (at) colage(dot) org if you'd like a copy of the guide.