Reporting from the Field: Keystone 2022

[Michelle Lawson]

For a short time late last week, I had the privilege to attend the Keystone 2022 Gender Diversity Conference in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. I’d like to hope I was able to show the TGH colors in the best light possible. And I’d like to use this Forum topic to keep all our members informed about what was learned. So, stay tuned for a few sub-topics as I recount all that I found out…..

[Michelle Lawson]

During the luncheon Friday, the guest speaker was Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen (He/Him), Executive Director, National Center for Transgender Equality/NCTE Action Fund. Afterwards I was able to chat with him and tell him about the wonderful work all of the members at TGH do in supporting the community. I told him about the chat rooms for discussing our day to day lives, the Forums and Articles where we pour out all our knowledge to help others currently, and as a repository for those coming after us. And I told him about how the NCTE is such a benefit to all of us. How they are the ‘go to’ for questions on documents changes. I mentioned how we, being a world wide organization, would love to find that same resources to help those in other countries. He said he would look into that.

And we discussed the up-coming 2022 US Trans Survey. We discussed ways to provide the TGH members with valuable links for the forms, and videos on what that survey is, and just how beneficial it is to our community. The info out currently is back from 2015 and is out dated. This survey is important. It isn’t just a survey for the ‘did you know’ mindset. This information is used in government as ammunition for crafting laws to support our community, and to fight those that oppose our community.

I have already received an email from him, and I will be passing on those links once I gather them all up. So stay tuned…..

 

[Michelle Lawson]

Here are the links I promised:

The 2022 US Trans Survey: https://www.ustranssurvey.org/

Check the link and sign the pledge to take the survey when it comes out in in Mid-May. Make your voices heard.

NCTE Website: https://transequality.org/

Sign up for the mailing list so you can keep up to date with what is going on. Don’t be the last to know about the progress the community is making.

NCTE YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/NationalCenterforTransgenderEquality/featured

Check out all of the videos NCTE has to offer. Just because you don’t live in the US is no reason not to watch them. There is a wealth of information right in front of your eyeballs.

[Michelle Lawson]

I spent some time at the Transgender American Veterans Association (TAVA) booth. TGH has many members who were, or still are, members of the Armed Forces. TAVA is a wonderful support organization that is well worth checking out. They can help you locate local transgender & veterans organization in your local area. They can help you navigate the VA as well. They go out of their way to help all of our US Veterans. And I suspect they may also have some hints for contacting transgender support organizations in other countries as well.

[Michelle Lawson]

Update: TAVA has a presence on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Check out their YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/c/TransveteranOrg) and subscribe. Although there isn’t much content, subscribing and contacting them will let them know there is interest there.

[Michelle Lawson]

Just immediately to the left as you walked in the lobby of the hotel where the conference was hosted, was a table that was setup by on of the TGH members. Mother Grace Ferris (https://transgenderheaven.com/members/ferrisgw/profile/) from Saint Wilgefortis TransMISSION, which is a CACINA church. She is a delight to talk to. In fact, she is one of three transgender pastors in CACINA. She said a daily Mass. She has got to be one of the most transgender supportive ministers I have come across. And she is there for ‘us’, for all of the TGH member family. Proof once again, that ‘we’ are part of the fabric of society; a very big part……

[Michelle Lawson]

So many times we hear of the struggles married couples experience when one of them is transgender. It can be at best difficult, and at worst a cause for a failed relationship. I was able to attend a seminar by Cindi Grace Miller on methods in dealing with this aspect of your transitional journey. And she knows, because she has walked that path. And from listening to her and her partner, quite successfully I might add. Cindi has many resources available to help you out. She has media available for you online and well worth checking out. And she is listed in our Local Places directory. So, if you are struggling, and don’t know where to turn, please check her out. Listening to her sure had me walking away knowing there is hope out there for struggling partners. https://transgenderheaven.com/places/cindi-grace-transition-transformation/

[Michelle Lawson]

So, an often times overlooked issue is the one of aging. Yes, I know we all would like to stay young and beautiful forever. But the ravages of time and gravity always seem to have the upper hand. And then there are all sorts of other age related issues that we will encounter. But why re-invent the wheel when it comes to learning the ropes in navigating the aging transgender transition. That is where the folks at SAGE come in. They know this stuff. They are the experts in helping us navigate this. I was lucky enough to attend their seminar and group discussion. So, when you find yourself with an age related question, reach out to them. A wonderful group of supporters. And check out their listings here on TGH:

https://transgenderheaven.com/places/sage-advocacy-services-for-lgbtq-elders/

https://transgenderheaven.com/places/sage-senior-advocates-for-generational-equity/

[Michelle Lawson]

Way back when, in a time long forgotten, I remember hearing about how if you saved a penny, and doubled that each day, by the end of the month you would be wealthy. Well, I doubt most of us could do that for an entire month, but, if we do something periodically, when we get older, we would have something to help us through those golden years. So, I happened to run into Beth McKinley at the conference. Beth is a Financial Advisor with Thrivent Financial Management. And she is very transgender friendly and supportive. So, if you have some of those pennies laying around, and want to start putting them to use for the future, she is ready to help you navigate through that financial side of life.

https://transgenderheaven.com/places/beth-mckinley-thrivent-investment-management/

BTW, if you did start putting pennies away at he beginning of the month, doubling the number of pennies each day, after 30 days you would have $10,737,418.23. I’d say that would be a nice retirement!

[Michelle Lawson]

Well, I guess that about wraps it up for this topic. I’ve been going through all the business cards I picked up, and while I have already added some in our Local Places directory, I still have many more. So, check out Local Places, and see what exciting things you can find in your neck of the woods. And, please check out the Keystone Conference website (https://keystone-conference.org/) as well. It is never too late to start thinking about joining the community there for the 2023 conference. It will be here before you know it.

Also, please sign up to take the Transgender Survey. Supporting that makes it much easier for all those fighting for us, to have the tools they need; to fight for us. Without that, they are fighting with their hands tied behind their backs.

Thanks for reading through all of this, and have a wonderful day, Michelle

[Michelle Lawson]

Hi all…. Just a little update and reminder, the Keystone Conference has their own YouTube channel with lots of great info about the conference, and many of the people that were there to help the community grow. So check them out:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbd0MLD6L6CpEk2pTz5Mi1Q/featured

Michelle

[Michelle Lawson]

Tia, yes it is. A story was related about a congressman who was told about some transgender issue. He asked, ‘how many people does this affect’? ‘A lot of people’ was the reply. ‘But how many’? There was no reply, because there were no valid numbers. Without the data, our cries often times fall on deaf ears. It sure is hard to justify something without the data to back it up. It is all about empirical evidence, not anecdotal evidence….. Michelle

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