Trans*Succes

Helping Your Transgender Teen: A Guide for Parents

Web Conference Description

Clients with a transgender identity may seek counseling to talk about their gender identity or for another reason such as depression, anxiety, or support in navigating a specific life transition. Transgender describes a gender identity that is different than the one that is assigned to a person at birth. Transgender identities include transsexual, female-to-male, male-to-female, genderqueer, and gender variant. Providing culturally competent services to transgender clients requires both knowledge of transgender issues and a level of comfort discussing gender and sexuality issues. A person-centered and narrative therapy perspective is non-pathologizing, gives control to historically marginalized clients, and makes external oppression and discrimination visible. This workshop will review terminology, transgender identity models, challenges of living with a stigmatized identity, and will provide examples of person-centered and narrative based interventions for working with transgender clients.

This Web Conference is designed to help clinicians:

1) Define the terms gender identity, transgender, transsexual, gender variance, and other terminology related to transgender identities;
2) Learn one model of transgender coming out and identity formation;
3) Name one barrier often experienced by people who identify as transgender;
4) Learn two interventions designed for use with people who identify as transgender.

Click here for more info: http://www.goodtherapy.org/therapy-for-transgender-web-conference.html

Posted 11/14/11 at www.goodtherapy.org

When we are born, and these days often even before, the big question is, “Is it a boy or a girl?” The way this question was answered when we were born impacts us every day throughout our whole lives. This is the day we are assigned a gender. In our culture we treat boys and girls, and men and women, very differently. Everything is gendered, from toys and clothes, to emotions and ways of thinking. No one is off the hook from these gender scripts…

Read the rest of the blog here: http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/redefining-gender-rules-1114114/

It is in this spirit that I want to share Michelle O’Brien’s piece “Stayin’ Alive: Trans Survival and Struggle on the Streets of Philadelphia” from That’s Revolting! Queer Strategies for Resisting Assimilation. Michelle shares some of the history of the transgender rights movement in Philadelphia.  The 1st Philadelphia Trans March didn’t spring from one moment or idea, but is built on years and years of activist organizing on multiple levels and in many transgender communities.  It also rests on a foundation that recognizes that the struggles in Philadelphia are the struggles that are directly connected to organizing against capitalism, racism, classism, and sexism.  O’Brien writes,”By linking these issues in our analyses and work, we can all begin to do what mainstream gay movements won’t: build movements committed to justice for all people, movements committed to challenging capitalism and white supremacy, alongside fighting homophobia.  The survival of trans-people, poor queers, and many others across the globe urgently depends on these movements.  (p. 311)”

Read Michelle O’Brien’s piece here: Stayin’ Alive: Trans Survival and Struggle on the Streets of Philadelphia

Last week I had the privilege to speak with sexologist Dr. Timaree Schmit about my work as a sexuality educator and a therapist!   Take a look and a listen:

http://sexwithtimaree.com/2011/10/05/podcast-dr-damon-constantinides-therapist-sexologist-lgbt-activist/

You can download your own copy here: http://www.wpath.org/documents/Standards%20of%20Care%20V7%20-%202011%20WPATH.pdf

A nice article about it can be found here : http://transgenderequality.wordpress.com/2011/09/26/the-top-10-things-trans-people-should-know-about-the-new-standards-of-care/