New trans support group
Inspired by the lack of listings for transgender social organisations in the back pages of SSO, Kerry Ellison decided to launch her own group.
If responses are good and all goes well, by this time next year she hopes it could become a proper entity capable of speaking on behalf of the transgender community and dispelling a few myths.
After beginning her search to find a transgender social or support group, Ellison found herself continually re-directed back to the Transgender Centre.
They cater mainly to people who are just starting their journey, Ellison said.
What I wanted to be a part of, the group that I am starting, is more for people who have progressed through their journey till they’re at the point where they feel completely comfortable with where they’re at. They’re comfortable being just the guy or girl next door and just want to be able to meet other like-minded people in a normal setting, like heading to the Courthouse for a beer or meeting up for a coffee and not just heading to the Taxi Club.
It’s a different experience at this end of the journey. When you first start going through it your biggest concern, or at least for me, was passing, being able to move through society and live your life as you wanted without getting picked. At this stage you really just want people to accept you as you are, not as a man or a woman, not as a transgender person, but just as a normal person who goes about their business.
Ideally I would like to see this group grow and become a proper organisation that can speak on behalf of the transgender community because it really is so rare to see a transgender person portrayed in the media as anything but a freak show. Even [movies] like Transamerica I can’t really watch because it still just focuses on the transgender aspect. It would be great to see people just being shown for what they are, normal guys and girls who work in bookstores and live next door.
Anyone interested in joining Kerry Ellison to form a social club for transgender individuals can contact her at [email protected].
