This page is meant to be a living document for resources that can help support trans youth and families. Please email us at sparclife@upmc.edu.
- Resources for Cultivating a Positive LGBTQ+ Identity
- Resources for Connecting with Other LGBTQ+ Youth
- LGBTQ+ Advocacy Organizations
- Legal Resources for LGBTQ+ Discrimination
- Resources for Parents on How to be Supportive to LGBTQ+ Teens
- Reaching Out During a Crisis
- Finding Support from Others Online
- Give Us the Floor: App for peer support and community-wide groups of LGBTQIA+ young people ages 13-19 (soon to include up to age 24). Groups offer support and advice on things like questioning identity, dating, coming out, mental health, and discrimination
- LGBT National Help Center: Offers moderated chat rooms for youth ages 19 and younger. LGBTQ Teens Chatroom: Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 7-10pm EST; Trans Teens Chat: Thursdays and Fridays 7-10pm EST
- Trans Mentor Project: A non-crisis virtual national support for trans/nonbinary young people ages 13-24 that includes weekly mentoring from 23+ trans/nonbinary individuals. The goals are to help connect with community, share euphoria, and become your authentic self
- Stand with Trans: This organizations hosts Community Connections, which are virtual groups (and in-person in Michigan) for trans/nonbinary young people 9-12, 13-17, and 18-24 as well as parents/caregivers of trans/nonbinary young people. The groups are for offering or receiving support, processing difficulties, sharing joy, or just hanging out with other folks similar to you
- Dealing with Gender Dysphoria
- Transgender SG: A trans-activist group based in Singapore has a variety of coping skills and recommendations
- Wondermind: An inclusive space where people could come together to explore, discuss, and navigate their feelings, has an article about ways to deal with gender dysphoria from a therapist who can relate
- Everyday Feminism: An educational platform for personal and social liberation, created a list of 6 affirmations for trans folks who don’t feel “trans enough”
- Handling Uncertainty in a Changing World
- The Trevor Project: Has a guide for coping and practical support in the midst of the current political climate
- Human Rights Campaign: Responses to common questions asked by LGBTQ+ youth following the election
- University of Colorado Boulder: List of ways to cope with anti-LGBTQ+ legislation
- Information, News, and Media Channels
- In the Den with Mama Dragons: This organization offers a podcast specifically for parents of trans teens discussing topics relevant to that lived experience
- Serendipitydodah: This website offers a variety of trans-specific resources and content, such as books featuring trans characters and topics and connections to organizations offering advocacy & support
- Advocates for Trans Equality: this organization is tracking various issues pertaining to trans rights happening in the news and offers resources for advocacy
- Lived Experience Narratives
- It Gets Better: A playlist of encouraging videos of how queer celebrities and others have fought past anti-LGBTQ+ hate and suicidal thoughts, making the choice to keep going
- Out in Front: A playlist of how queer people are making a difference in the world
- Perfectly Queer: A vodcast called Perfectly Queer, which openly addresses problems happening in the world for queer people & embraces queer joy in all of its forms
- Learn with Love: The Trevor Project’s documentary, a story of trans resilience that highlights the real-life stories of three trans teens and their relationships with their loved ones
- AFSP Stories about LGBTQ Community: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s blog discussing suicide prevention and LGBTQ community building
- The Mighty: 9 LGBTQ+ writers who document the intersection of queer identity and mental health
- Navigating Changes in Access to Gender Affirming Care
- Trans Youth Emergency Project: This organization provides one-on-one support and travel funds for those who have lost access to gender-affirming care
- Trans Family SOS: This organization is for families of trans people, offering coaching and guidance on issues related to insurance and healthcare
- National Resources
- PFLAG: The first and largest organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) people, their parents and families, and allies
- The Trevor Project: Helps LGBTQ+ youth with mental health support. It has a 24/7 hotline at 866-488-7386 and trained counselors to talk to. The website includes resources and TrevorSpace, an online community for LGBTQ+ youth ages 13–24 to connect and make friends.
- Pittsburgh-Specific Resources
- Pennsylvania-Specific Resources