Resources and Support for Transgender Survivors

This list aims to provide a comprehensive array of contacts, support resources, and recommended materials which members of the transgender community and their allies may find helpful. 

Crisis Lifelines

• The Trevor Project's 24/7/365 Lifeline at 866-4-U-TREVOR (866-488-7386);  TrevorChat, their online instant messaging option; or TrevorText, a text-based support option. If you are looking for peer support, you can visit TrevorSpace from anywhere in the world.

• The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255)

• Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860

• Do you live outside the United States? If so, check out Trans Equality International

• Also outside the United States:

  • Befrienders Worldwide

  • International Suicide Hotlines

• The Point of Pride Get Support Now page is filled with crisis and emergency help resources, including financial funds and mutual aid initiatives.

Transgender Led & Centered Organizations

• Home - The GenderCool Project: The GenderCool Project is a youth-led movement bringing positive change to the world. The Champions are helping replace misinformed opinions with positive experiences meeting transgender and non-binary youth who are thriving.

• Black Transmen, Inc.: Black Transmen is a nonprofit organization focused on social advocacy and empowering trans men with resources to aid in a healthy transition.

• Incite!: Women, Gender Non-Conforming, and Trans people of Color Against Violence, formerly known as INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence, is a United States-based national activist organization of radical feminists of color advancing a movement to end violence against women of color and their communities.

• Trans Justice Funding Project: Trans Justice Funding Project is a community-led funding initiative that supports grassroots trans justice groups run by and for trans people.

• The Okra Project: The Okra Project addresses the global crisis faced by Black trans people by bringing them home-cooked meals and resources.

• The Marsha P. Johnson Institute: The Marsha P. Johnson Institute’s mission is to protect and defend the human rights of Black transgender people.

• The John Marshall Law School Transgender Name & Gender Marker Change Services: assists transgender individuals who are faced with the task of changing their names and identification documents. Students assist with the preparation of necessary court documents and appear in court on behalf of individuals at hearings.

• Brown Boi Project: A community of masculine-of-center womyn, men, two-spirit people, transmen, and allies committed to changing the way that communities of color talk about gender, Brown Boi Project works across race and gender to eradicate sexism, homophobia, and transphobia and create healthy frameworks of masculinity and change. 

• FORGE: This national transgender anti-violence organization was founded in 1994. In addition to providing direct services to transgender, gender non-conforming, and gender non-binary survivors of sexual assault, it also serves as the only transgender-focused organization federally funded to provide training and technical assistance to providers around the country who work with transgender survivors of sexual assault, domestic and dating violence, and stalking.

• Trans Student Equality Resources (TSER): This youth-led organization provides trans-related information on school issues and supports efforts for creating policy change in school districts.

• Familia Trans Queer Liberation Movement (community building, advocacy, and education)

• Trans Folx Fighting Eating Disorders (T-FFED) (health care, support)

• The Laurel Foundation: The Laurel Foundation provides educational camp programs for children, youth, and families impacted by HIV/AIDS, and transgender youth.

• Project HEALTH (health care, advocacy)

• Trans Partner Network: This organization shares resources, support, and information for partners of trans and gender non-conforming people.

• National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) (advocacy)

• Transgender Law Center (TLC) (legal services and advocacy)

• Gender Proud (advocacy)

• Sylvia Rivera Law Project (SRLP) (legal services)

• Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF) (legal services)

• Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition (MTPC) (advocacy)

• Trans People of Color Coalition (TPOCC) (advocacy)

• Trans Women of Color Collective (TWOCC)  (advocacy)

• Black Trans Advocacy (advocacy)

• Trans Latina Coalition (advocacy)

• Gender Spectrum (support for families, trans youth, and educators)

• Gender Diversity (support for families, trans youth, and educators)

• Trans Youth Equality Federation (support for families and trans youth)

• Trans Youth Family Allies (TYFA) (support for families and trans youth)

• TransTech Social Enterprises (economic empowerment)

• SPART*A (advocacy for trans military service members)

• Transgender American Veterans Association (advocacy for trans veterans)

• TransAthlete.com (info about trans athletes)

Transgender Programs at LGBT Organizations

• GLAAD's Transgender Media Program  (media advocacy)

• Freedom for All Americans (policy and legislative advocacy)

• PFLAG Our Trans Loved Ones  (support for families of people who are trans)

• PFLAG Transgender Resources (resources for trans people and their families)

• PFLAG's Transgender Ally campaign  (advocacy)

• COLAGE Kids of Trans Community  (support for kids of trans parents)

• The Task Force's Transgender Civil Rights Project  (advocacy)

• HRC's transgender resources  (advocacy)

• Gender Identity Project at the NYC LGBT Center  (support services)

• American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)  (legal services)

• Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) Transgender Rights Project  (legal services)

• National Center for Lesbian Rights - Transgender Law  (legal services)

• L.A. LGBT Center's Transgender Economic Empowerment Project  (economic empowerment)

• SF Transgender Economic Empowerment Initiative  (economic empowerment)

• TransJustice at the Audre Lorde Project  (advocacy)

• Trikone: This organization offers a supportive, empowering, and non-judgmental environment where LGBTQ South Asians and their allies can meet, make connections, and proudly promote awareness and acceptance of their sexual identities

• The Network La Red: The Network La Red is a survivor-led social justice organization that works to end partner abuse in LGBTQ, polyamorous, and sexual minority communities.

• Anti-Violence Project: This anti-LGBTQIA violence organization focuses on ending violence through education.

Websites & Other Resource Lists

• NSVRC’s Intersections of LGBTQ Issues and Racial Justice Resource List showcases reports, studies, articles, and other resources that highlight the intersectionality between LGBTQ issues and racial justice. 

• Registered Nursing has a long list of Gender Affirming Care Resources for supporting the transgender community in health care. 

• Transbucket is primarily an online resource for learning about gender-affirming surgery. It is restricted to only members of the transgender community. Transbucket is inclusive of both binary and non-binary trans people.

• SAMSA Native Connections LGTBTQ2S Resources provides a list of help and support for two-spirit and LGBTQ folks- including state specific resources. 

• Transgender Health Resource List from John Hopkins covers an array of health tools.

• Out and Equal created the Nonbinary Gender Identities: A Diverse Global History document to locate some of the historical touchpoints of non-binary identities, which is an important tool for dispelling the myth that non-binary identities are somehow “new” or a “trend.”

• The PRIDE Field Network aims to connect LGBTQ+ folks doing research or work fieldwork and helps protect LGBTQ+ geographers, ecologists, anthropologists, conservationists, and other field workers by providing them with a safe platform where they can find information on LGTBQ+ rights, constant support, a welcoming community, and emergency help. 

• The Lambda Legal resource list for transgender and non-conforming prisoners and their allies helps folks find support or ask questions about one’s rights behind bars.

• The West Virginia University LGBTQ+ landing page on Resources for Queer and Transgender Black, Indigenous, People of Color

• Transgender Map – by Andrea James

• All About Trans Resources for the Media List

• LGBT Foundation has a list of useful resources on this landing page (some may be UK specific) 

• LGBT Map has a rich Rural LGBT Resource Page which has a number of transgender-specific tools and websites. 

• Additional resources from The National Center for Transgender Equality

• Harvard University’s Resources for Transgender, Non-Binary, and Gender Non-Conforming People

• Transformative Justice Law Project of Illinois published this Quick Guide to educate about the criminalization of transgender and gender non-conforming people

Guides 

• Transgender Coronavirus Guide is a resource from the National Center for Transgender Equality, which addresses important issues that trans people and the LGBTQ community face during this pandemic.

• Transgender Sexual Violence Survivors: A Self Help Guide to Healing and Understanding: This guide is written for trans survivors of sexual violence. Sections include: trauma and its aftermaths, transgender survivors of sexual assault, options for healing, and self-help techniques.

• A Guide for Partners and Loved Ones of Transgender Sexual Violence Survivors by FORGE

• LGBT Foundation created this Guide for trans people who have been affected by sexual violence.

• The SERVE! Street Safety for Trans and Gender Non-Conforming Youth guide, a pocket-sized know-your-rights manual only 12 pages long, aims to serve as a resource for trans and gender non-conforming youth who may find themselves being detained, searched, or thrown into custody by the police.  

• The National Center for Transgender Equality compiled these self-help guides.

• FORGE created a transgender-specific fact sheet on domestic violence and sexual violence. 

• Trans Economics: Financial Literacy Guide for Trans People by Team TransLash contains an interview with trans financial advisor Andrea Romero, guidance on next steps you can take today, and a round-up of tools to help you reach your financial goals.

• LGBT Youth produced this Coming Out Guide for trans youth

• How Addiction Affects The Transgender Community: This comprehensive guide by Sunshine Behavioral Health explains on how addiction affects the trans community, its dangers, and how to find proper programs to get help.

• Transitioning Our Shelters: A Guide to Making Homeless Shelters Safe for Transgender People by the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute

• The Transgender Travel Guide by EveryQueer provides important tips and preparation insights for folks off to explore the world. 

• The Transgender Job Seekers Guide by Kathy Morris helps trans job applications navigate questions like: Do you out yourself immediately or wait until paperwork is filed? Can you avoid outing yourself at all? Can you apply with your new name or do you have to use your legal name? What about company dress codes?

• Human Rights Campaign guide on Engaging Prospective Trans & Non-Binary Foster and Adoptive Parents

• The Apicha Transgender Sexual Health Guide: Safer Sex in concert with HRC’s Safer Sex for Trans Bodies (Sexo Seguro Para Los Cuerpos Trans)

• The Campaign for Southern Equality maintains Trans in the South: A Directory of Trans-Affirming Health & Legal Service Providers, a directory of more than 400 Southern health service providers who are trans-affirming. You’ll find lists of trans-friendly mental health providers, primary care physicians, HIV care specialists, attorneys, endocrinologists, and more across 13 Southern states. In addition to a virtual, searchable directory, they’ve also compiled resources to assist with funding medical transition and helpful information about insurance coverage.

• The Birth for Every Body resource guide for trans birth and delivery information also includes information on reproductive health care and family planning.

• The Out Youth Resource Guide List

• A Filmmaker's Guide: The Transgender Experience on Film by Annie Kapur

• The Trans Accessible Libraries Initiative: This guide provides practical information and library resources for transgender, non-binary, gender non-conforming, gender variant, and gender diverse students.

• The Safe Space Kit: A Guide to Supporting Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Students in Your School

• Transgender Visibility: A Guide to Being You was designed to help you and your loved ones through the transition process in realistic and practical terms. It acknowledges that the experience of coming out or disclosure covers the full spectrum of human emotion – from paralyzing fear to unbounded euphoria.

• Finding a Voice: A Guide to Gender Affirming Voice and Communication Training; from the Speech Pathology Masters Programs highlights the resources and information relevant to individuals that may be transitioning or of gender diverse populations. The guide includes a glossary of terms related to this that can be beneficial for those wishing to support someone, as well as provide further education into the topic. 

• Jonah Coman’s Trans Citation Practices provides guidelines on how to cite scholars who have transitioned.

• FORGE’s Let’s Talk About It! A Transgender Survivor’s Guide to Accessing Therapy outlines a comprehensive strategy guide for approaching therapy in the transgender community and also cover resiliency exercises, self-healing strategies, and essential information to help transgender survivors access therapy and other resources.

• My period and Me: A Trans Guy’s Guide to Menstruation by Wiley Reading

Media

Art & Film

• Black Trans Femmes in the Arts (BTFA) is an art collective for Black trans women and non-binary femmes. The BTFA Collective aims to create an empowering community among Black trans and non-binary femmes and to address the systemic barriers that support their erasure.

• StateraArts maintains a list of Trans & Non-Binary Resources related to arts and theatre.

• GLAAD’s Transgender Media Reference Guide provides guidelines for accurate reporting on trans issues. 

• Transgender Media Portal aims to make audiovisual work by trans, Two Spirit, non-binary, intersex, and gender-nonconforming people more available to artists, activists, festival programmers, researchers, instructors, and the public.

• This list by Ashley R.T. Yurgins shares eleven trans and gender non-conforming dancers to follow on Instagram.

• Je’Jae Daniels of The New York Public Library highlights 7 Films About Transgender Resilience.

• The University of Delaware provides a list of documentary and visual media Resources for Trans* Research and Learning

• Aravani Art Project is a trans women art collective.

• This list by Queer in the World shares The Best Transgender Movies You Should Have Already Seen By Now!

• 5 Films you can Stream on Transgender Day of Remembrance

Podcasts

• Working with Male Survivors: How Sexual Assault Impacts Transgender Men – Part 1 Working with Male Survivors: How Sexual Assault Impacts Transgender Men – Part 2 michael munson joins NSVRC’s Louie Marven to talk about working with transgender men and transmasculine survivors. In this first part of a two-part conversation, michael talks about foundational concepts of gender relevant to working with trans men and transmasculine folks, and common reactions to sexual assault that may be especially relevant for advocates to understand in working with trans men and transmaculine survivors. michael is the executive director of FORGE.

• Gender GP has created this list of the 10 Best Trans and Non Binary Podcasts

• Feedspot has a list of the Best 50 Transgender Podcasts

Music

•  2020 LGBTQ+ Pride Playlist

•  12 Black LGBT Artists You Should Listen To

•   38 Queer Black Musicians

• This article on 7 Transgender Musicians changing the music industry. 

Talks

• Black Trans* Lives Matter
  Given by D-L Stewart

• A Powerful Poem About What It Feels Like to Be Transgender
  Given by Lee Mokobe

Theater

• Trans Lab A NYC-based fellowship for Trans & Gender Nonconforming theatre artists. Plays by trans and gender non-conforming (TGNC) writers are a rarity in American theater. As transgender stories are co-opted, commercialized, and misrepresented by cisgender writers, Trans Lab fellowship supports the creation of a critical mass of TGNC plays by TGNC writers.

• Plays & Musicals for Trans Awareness: Despite increasing community demand for complex trans characters to be represented on main stages, there’s still substantial work to be done before the theatre is truly inclusive. Join the movement and get educated by reading and producing these deep, nuanced stories that center trans individuals.

Books & Literature

• The NSVRC Library catalog contains the library collections of the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), the Pennsylvania Coalition to Advance Respect (PCAR), and AEquitas. The unique collection provides access to a comprehensive selection of relevant and timely resources on sexual violence, prevention, and related topics, with over 900 titles listed in the transgender search collection. The collection includes items in print, audiovisual, and electronic formats, as well as numerous Spanish language resources.

• The University of Michigan Library houses materials from the National Transgender Library & Archive.

• Penguin Random House created this list of Must-Read Books by Transgender, Non-Binary, and Gender Non-Conforming Authors

• PFLAG encourages folks to explore this Transgender Reading List for Adults

• Good Reads created this Transgender Book Lists (goodreads.com)

• The University of Michigan Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender & Queer Studies Landing Page has a selection of useful literary information, special collections, and citations for finding research, history, and books on trans communities.

Did You Know?

• The 2015 U.S. Trans Survey is the largest survey of transgender people ever conducted. The data has also been broken down by race, ethnicity, and geography. The survey's results detail the extent of the poverty, discrimination, and violence faced by transgender people. The results are also available in Spanish.

• Transgender Lives: Your Stories is an interactive campaign created by The New York Times for transgender people to tell their stories in their own words.

• I AM: Trans People Speak is a campaign created by the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition (MTPC) and sponsored by GLAAD to raise awareness about the diversity of transgender communities. It uplifts the voices of transgender individuals, as well as their families, friends, and allies.

• STD tests at home are a great tool that some members of the transgender community utilize to stay on top of their reproductive and sexual health in the comfort of their own homes. 

• The Trans 100 is an annual list of 100 amazing and inspiring trans Americans who are  visible within their communities.

• Transgender leaders made history in 2020 with a number of trans candidates winning office around the world. Read more in 22 Famous Transgender Politicians From Around the World. 

Recursos en Español

• ¿Y Ahora Que? es una experiencia web interactiva en español que le guía a través de una serie de vídeos, artículos y relatos personales sobre lo que significa tener un hije que se identifica con la comunidad LGBTQ+.  [Y Ahora Que? is a Spanish-language interactive web experience that guides families through a series of videos, articles, and personal accounts about what it means to have a child who identifies with the LGBTQ+ community]. 

• Esta guía trata específicamente sobre personas transgénero y no conformes con el género, y está destinada a personas y familias que desean responderles de una manera más afirmativa. Si eres una persona LGBQ +, trans o no conforme con tu género, padre o amigo, esperamos que la siguiente información te ayude a ser más positivo y solidario con tus seres queridos. (Tambem disponivel em portugues) [This guide is specifically about trans and gender non-conforming persons, and it is intended for persons and families who want to respond in a more affirming way to them.  Whether you are an LGBQ+ person, trans or gender non-conforming, a parent or friend, we hope that the following information will help you be more positive and supportive of your loved ones. (Also available in Portuguese)]

• HRC En Español: Aquí encontrará notas, videos y blogs sobre los temas de interés para nuestra comunidad Latinx y LGBTQ+. [Here you will find articles, videos and blogs on topics of interest to our Latinx and LGBTQ + community.]

• Transgender Care Listing tienen una larga lista de Recursos en Español [Transgender Care Listing has a long list of resources in Spanish)

• El Transgender Law Center se complace en anunciar la reapertura del Servicio de Información Legal en español

Education

• Trans Student Educational Resources is a youth-led organization dedicated to transforming the educational environment for trans and gender non-conforming students through advocacy and empowerment. Founded in 2011, it is the only national organization led by trans youth and also hosts an annual scholarship.

• Affordable Colleges Online has generated this list of scholarships for transgender students as well as a list of resources for LGBT students.

• The Center for Applied Transgender Studies

• Scholarships.com also maintains a list of transgender scholarships.

• Stonewall Community Foundation partners with donors to provide scholarships.

• Universities with transgender-focused departments:

                       University of Washington

                       Southern Oregon University

                       UC Berkeley

                       Cornell

                       Sierra Community College

                       Wells College

                       Dartmouth

                       UPenn

                       Rutgers

                       City College of San Francisco

                       University of Maryland

                       Yale

                      Columbia

                      Syracuse University

For Allies, Friends, Family, and Health Providers

• Out and Equal Workplace Advocates created this guide on Best Practices for Non-Binary Inclusion in the Workplace

• The Get Real: A Question and Answer Guide for Dating a Trans Person publication by the Rainbow Resource Center provides information on dating a trans person 

• PFLAG’s 2020 Trans Ally Guide offers helpful support and awareness tips for friends, family, and communities at large.

• Counseling.org has useful insights on counseling transgender trauma survivors.

• The Center for Excellence of Transgender Health has published this Guide for the Primary and Gender-Affirming Care of Transgender and Gender Nonbinary People.

• The Responding to Transgender Victims of Sexual Assault guide by the Office for Victims of Crime enhances understanding of transgender-related issues and ensures that professionals and providers who serve victims of sexual assault can be sources of support and care.

• University of Southern California Rossier has created Students and Gender Identity: A Guide for Schools, a collection of tools and resources to support conversations surrounding gender identity in the classroom. This guide is meant to help teachers, school counselors, and school communities work together to create a safe and nurturing school climate for all students.

*Please note: The above websites, media, and resource plugs are meant to be helpful suggestions and not endorsements.