straight for equality
straight for equality: trans ally resources

There are countless resources to support your trans ally learning (and coming out!) experience. Looking to be a stronger ally? Check out some of these organizations and connect with their work. Check out resources that were developed to boost your trans inclusion IQ and action plan. Commit to learning more.

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National Transgender Organizations:

Black Transmen Inc.
Black Transmen Inc. is a nationally based nonprofit specifically for African American transmen.

Black Transwomen Inc.
Black Transwomen Inc., the sister organization to Black Transmen Inc., is a nationally based nonprofit for African American transwomen.

Center of Excellence for Transgender Health
The mission of the Center of Excellence for Transgender Health is to increase access to comprehensive, effective, and affirming health care services for trans and gender-variant communities.

Coalicion TransLatin@
The work of Coalicion TransLatin@ is focused on the needs of trans and gender nonconforming Latino immigrants in the United States.

The National Center for Transgender Equality
NCTE is a 501(c)3 social justice organization dedicated to advancing the equality of transgender people through advocacy, collaboration and empowerment.

The Sylvia Rivera Law Project
The Sylvia Rivera Law Project (SRLP) is a collective organization dedicated to increasing the political voice and visibility of low-income people and people of color who are transgender, intersex, or gender non-conforming.

The Transgender Law Center
The Transgender Law Center works to change law, policy, and attitudes so that all people can live safely, authentically, and free from discrimination regardless of their gender identity or expression.

Trans People of Color Coalition
The Trans People of Color Coalition is the nation’s only social justice organization focused on the needs and interests of trans people of color.

Transgender American Veteran’s Association
The Transgender American Veterans Association (TAVA) was formed to address the growing concerns of fair and equal treatment of Transgender Military Veterans and Active Duty service members.

National LGBTQ+ and Civil Rights Organizations

PFLAG: Support for Transgender People and Their Families
PFLAG, and its network of more than 350 chapters, has a rich history of trans inclusion and remains one of the primary resources for trans and gender nonconforming people, their families, and friends.

Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders: Transgender Rights Project
The Transgender Rights Project is a major initiative of GLAD and highlights various advocacy projects, updates on state and federal policy, and details about current and past litigation that GLAD staff are a part of.

GLAAD: Transgender Media and Education Program
GLAAD, which focuses on the representation of LGBT people in popular media, has resources including a FAQ, blog posts, and guidelines for media professionals to insure the fair and accurate portrayal of trans people in news, TV, and film.

GLAAD: Transgender Visibility Timeline
Released in 2012, this resource highlights a few of the key points in recent history for transgender visibility.

Human Rights Campaign Resources: Transgender
HRC has developed multiple resources for trans and gender nonconforming people designed to aid in the coming out process, to pass inclusive workplace policies and laws, and improve transgender health and well-being.

Lambda Legal: Transgender Rights
Lambda Legal has a number or resources, such as “Know Your Rights,” the Transgender Rights Toolkit, and research on topics that range from trans prisoners in crisis to workplace rights to the complexities of identity documents.

OutServe-SLDN: Transgender Service
The repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t tell did not end the regulatory ban on transgender military service, and this page from OutServe-SLDN has information for trans identified people and their allies about enlistment, current service, discharge and more.

National Center for Lesbian Rights: Transgender Law
NCLR has resources available to provide legal help and support to the transgender community including specific resources for transgender parents and trans youth. It also highlights court cases, legislation, and current litigation that their staff is involved in.

SAGE: Transgender Aging
SAGE is an organization that focuses on improving the lives of older LGBT adults and recognizes the unique needs and challenges faced by transgender people as they age that includes, but is not limited to, the lack of clinical and cultural competence among medical professionals.

The ACLU: Discrimination Against Transgender People
The ACLU champions the rights of transgender people and has resources, data, and information available to aid in the fight for legal protections for trans people in all aspects of life.

The LGBTQ Task Force: Transgender Issues
The LGBTQ Task Force has a long history of trans inclusion as a part of their mission and each of their programs including research, leadership training programs, and guides for creating more trans inclusive spaces in advocacy organizations of all kinds.

The Williams Institute: Transgender Issues
The Williams Institute of UCLA’s School of Law is dedicated to research on sexual orientation and gender identity law and policy. Recent research topics include the impact of voter ID laws on transgender voters, the impact of open military service, and the prevalence of suicide among trans/GNC adults.

 Data and Research:

2015 U.S. Trans Survey
A follow up to Injustice at Every Turn, with more than 25,000 respondents, the U.S. Transgender Survey (USTS) is the largest survey ever devoted to the lives and experiences of trans people.

Injustice at Every Turn
Download the report commissioned by the National LGBTQ Task Force and the National Center for Transgender Equality in 2011 to identify the issues and challenges faced by transgender and gender nonconforming people in their communities.

Public Support for Transgender Rights: A 23 Country Survey
This William Institute report presents findings from a ground-breaking survey of 17,105 adults across 23 countries about their attitudes towards transgender people and rights and creates a s scale indicating countries’ average level of support for transgender rights.

Republicans, Democrats have starkly different views on transgender issues
Check out research conducted by the Pew Research Center in 2017 that found that party identification, age, and personal connections all have impact on how individuals feel about transgender equality in the US. 

Books:

Gender Born, Gender Made: Raising Healthy Gender-Nonconforming Children
Gender Born, Gender Made addresses many of the practical, daily concerns that many parents and educators have for children who don’t fit in with perceived gender norms.

I Am Jazz
I Am Jazz is a children’s book that tells the story of a transgender child and is based on the real-life experiences of Jazz Jennings, a young transkid who helped to found the TransKids Purple Rainbow Foundation.

The Gender Book
Created by a team of community advocates in Houston, The Gender Book is 90-page illustrated book about gender identity, expressing gender to those around us, and living out one’s gender role.

The Transgender Child: A Handbook for Families and Professionals
The Transgender Child is a comprehensive guidebook that, through research and interviews, provides insight on how to raise trans and gender nonconforming children with love and compassion.

Trans Bodies, Trans Selves
Inspired by the groundbreaking women’s health book Our Bodies, Ourselves,Trans Bodies, Trans Selves is a comprehensive guide written by, for, and about transgender or genderqueer authors.

Transgender History, 2nd Edition
Transgender History takes a chronological approach to trans history from the mid-twentieth century to its publication in 2017 by examining movements, writings, and events.

Transgender Warriors: The Making of History from Joan of Arc to Dennis Rodman
From the author of Stone Butch Blues, Transgender Warriors examines historical notions of gender, how they have shifted over time, and how societies that celebrated gender creativity and variance were structured.

Trans and Gender Nonconforming Youth

Bending the Mold: An Action Kit for Transgender Students
If you’re transgender or gender non-conforming, questioning, or an ally this kit, developed by Lambda Legal and NYAC, is designed to help you make your school a safer place.

Beyond the Binary: A Tool Kit for Gender Identity Activism in Schools
The Beyond the Binary tool kit (created by the Transgender Law Center) was designed for student leaders, activists, and gender non-conformers who want to raise awareness about gender through education.

Camp Aranu'tiq
The Camp Aranu'tiq mission is to provide transgender and gender-variant youth with a safe, fun, and unique camp experience during which they are able to express gender however they are comfortable and connect with others in similar situations.

Families in TRANSition: A Resource Guide for Parents of Trans Youth
Families in TRANSition: A Resource Guide for Parents of Trans Youth is the first comprehensive Canadian publication (created by Central Toronto Youth Services) to address the needs of parents and families supporting their trans children.

Gender Spectrum
Gender Spectrum provides training, information, and consultation designed to help families, educators, and organizations understand the needs of gender creative children and youth.

GLSEN: Transgender Student Rights
Transgender Student Rights is a grassroots student created organization, formed in 2009, dedicated to creating safer schools for students regardless of their gender identity and expression that has been managed by GLSEN since 2013.

Harsh Realities: The Experiences of Transgender Youth in Our Nation's Schools
Download this document which extrapolates data from the 2009 National School Climate Survey to better understand the experiences of trans and gender nonconforming middle and high school students.

Mermaids
A UK-based support group offering support and resources for gender-variant children, teens, and their families.

Supporting and Caring for Our Gender Expansive Youth
Download this document that extrapolates data from the 2012 HRC study Growing Up LGBT in America to better understand the experiences of trans and gender nonconforming youth.

The TransActive Gender Project at Lewis & Clark
TransActive works to provide the necessary support to improve the quality of life of transgender and gender non-conforming children, youth and their families through education, services, advocacy and research.

Trans Youth Equality Foundation
The Trans Youth Equality Foundation offers education, advocacy and support for transgender and gender non-conforming children and youth and their families everywhere by sharing information about their unique needs.

Trans Youth Family Allies (TYFA)
TYFA works to empower children and families by partnering with educators, service providers and communities, to develop supportive environments in which gender may be expressed and respected. They envision a society free of suicide and violence in which all children are respected and celebrated.

Working with Transgender Youth
This guide, created by Lambda Legal and the Child Welfare League of America, provides child welfare professionals who work with transgender young people with education about transgender issues and tools to help prepare them to work sensitively with these clients.

Workplace:

Coming Out in the Workplace as Transgender
HRC highlights some of the benefits and consequences of coming out as transgender in the workplace and provides guidance for those who choose to disclose their gender identity with others. This resource reinforces that there is no “right” way to come out in the workplace.

Know Your Rights: Transgender Workplace Rights
Know Your Rights is a project of Lambda Legal and its focus on workplace rights highlights the story of Vandy Beth Glenn, a trans woman who lost her job in Georgia after coming out to her supervisor. It also has a FAQ that answers questions about ENDA, federal employees, and union policies.

Transgender Inclusion in the Workplace: Recommended Policies and Practices
HRC has developed sample policies for companies that need guidance to changes nondiscrimination policies, establish transition guidelines, update personnel records, and more.

Healthcare:

American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP)
The American Academy of Family Physicians has trans 101 resources for primary care providers as well as clinical guidelines, and additional trans health resources. There is also a document providing best practices for front-line health care staff.

American Medical Association (AMA)
The American Medical Association has resources including articles, podcasts, and presentations with specific information for medical professionals on treating trans patients, asking the right questions, and creating a welcoming environment in primary care offices and hospitals.

American Psychological Association (APA)
The American Psychological Association provides answers to questions about transgender issues and provides and introduction to transgender issues for mental health professions. Also includes the APA resolution on working with trans patients and expresses its organizational support for full equality.

GLMA: Transgender Health Resources
GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing Equality provides resources specifically catered to the needs of transgender people seeking culturally competent healthcare including ten things to discuss with healthcare providers, an online referral director, and more.

Transgender Affirming Hospital Policies
This publication - developed by  HRC, Lambda Legal, and other organizations - provides much-needed guidance to hospitals on best practices for care of transgender patients.  It wasdesigned for all hospitals seeking to comply with legal and regulatory non-discrimination mandates and to align themselves with best practices in the field. 

World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH)
Download the World Professional Association for Transgender Health's 7th version of their Standards of Care for the health of transexual, transgender, and gender nonconforming people which was released in 2012.

Faith Communities:

For Christians:

A Christian Perspective on Transgender People
Written by Justin Lee, author ofTorn: Rescuing the Gospel from the Gays-vs.-Christians Debate,: , this blog piece was written in response to a question submitted at crumbs from the communion table, and explains that his lived experience has led him to believe in the biblical principle of the Golden Rule.

Made in God’s Image
Developed by Many Voices, a black church movement for LGBT justice, this 24 page brochure answers basic questions about gender variance through personal stories told by transgender and intersex people of faith. It is also available for purchase at www.amazon.com.

Trans 101 for Faith Communities
This blog post at Believe Out Loud, explains the Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) in the context of faith communities and provides resources for Christian denominations that would like to learn more about transgender issues or host a TDOR event.

Voices of Witness: Out of the Box
Created by Integrity USA, this 27 minute documentary tells the story of transgender members of the Episcopal Church, and is accompanied by study guides for church leaders and students with discussion questions and points to consider throughout the film.

For Jews:

10 Resources for Transgender Day of Remembrance
This blog post at Keshet Online, explains the Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) in the context of faith communities and provides resources for Jewish communities that would like to learn more about transgender issues or host a TDOR event.

TransTorah
This annotated bibliography, developed by Vered Meir, was developed to help transgender Jews and their families, friends and allies, to learn more about the issues related to being transgender and Jewish including transgender Jewish history, suggestions for rituals and rites of passages, and more.

Twilight Journeys: The Ponderings of a Transgender Jew
Written by Surat Knan, the head of the UK based organization Rainbow Jews, Twilight Journeys is a blog series published on Jewish News Online chronicling one person’s transition process in the context of his Jewish culture and heritage.

For Muslims:

Transgender Muslim Support Network
On Facebook and Tumblr the Transgender Muslim Support Network provices resources and nonjudgemental support for trans and gender nonconforming Muslims. Its founder was interviewed for MuslimGirl.com in March 2016.

Interfaith/Nondenominational:

Gender Identity & Our Faith Communities: A Congregational Guide for Transgender Advocacy
This HRC resource was developed as a beginner’s course for individuals of faith who have been called upon to make their congregations and communities more welcoming by examining the experiences of transgender people and their friends, families, and allies in faith communities.

The Transgender Faith and Action Network
The TFAAN is a network that hosts conferences, workshops, and networking events to help trans people of faith and their allies create a more welcoming and inclusive culture in communities of faith. TFANN works in collaboration with The Freedom Center for Social Justice.

transACTION – A Transgender Curriculum for Church and Religious Institutions
The Institute of Welcoming Resources is a program of The Task Force developed a curriculum for churches and religious institutions that includes step-by-step training for congregants. The curriculum includes discussion topics and activities to help people better understand difficult concepts.

Transfaith
Transfaith Institute is a nonprofit organization that provides resources, workshops, and study guides to improve pastoral and spiritual care for transgender people of faith. This includes online and in person training focused on suicide prevention, pastoral care, and more.