Western Sydney Transgender Support Group Report 2015

2015 HAS BEEN A BIG YEAR FOR THE WSTSG (WESTERN SYDNEY TRANSGENDER SUPPORT GROUP) IT MAY HAVE STARTED SLOW BUT WHEN SUE MADE A CLOSED SUPPORT GROUP WITH THE PAGE ON FACEBOOK WE NOW HAVE 144 MEMBERS AND 10 TO 15 COMING TO MONTHLY GROUP MEETINGS ON THE SATURDAY NIGHT.

THIS YEAR HAS BEEN GREAT STEPH WENT WITH ALEX TO THE FTM GROUP AT THE GENDER CENTRE AND MEET SOME OTHER GUYS FROM THERE THAT LIVE OUT WEST SO THEY JOINED THE GROUP MAKING IT MORE MIXED. WE’VE HAD A FEW BIRTHDAY DINNERS AS WELL.

WE’VE ALSO HAD A FEW INQUIRES FROM OTHER ORGANISATIONS WANTING HELP AND ASSISTANCE WITH TRANS YOUTH SO STEPH AND ALEX HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM TO HELP THE YOUNG ONES AND THEIR FAMILIES, WE HAVE ALSO BEEN ADVOCATING WITH GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS THROUGH EMAILS TO ASSIST MEMBERS IN CHANGING THEIR DETAILS.

IN AUGUST WE MET WITH THE MT DRUITT LAC NSW POLICE GLLO OFFICER AND HAD THEM COME ALONG AS A GUEST SPEAKER FOR ONE OF THE MEETINGS. THIS WAS VERY WELL RECEIVED AND WE ARE LOOKING AT GETTING OTHER GUEST SPEAKERS IN THE FUTURE.

SOME OF THE MEMBERS EXPRESSED INTEREST IN HAVING MONTHLY/BIMONTHLY SOCIAL GET TOGETHERS THE FIRST ONE WAS ON THE 7TH OF NOVEMBER  A FEW WENT WAS A RELAXED CHAT WITH FRIENDS, WE WILL BE LOOKING AT FUN ACTIVITIES TO DO LIKE AQUA GOLF, FISHING DAYS, POOL, PUB NIGHTS, DINNERS WHATEVER THEY FEEL LIKE ORGANISING.

ON THE 21ST NOVEMBER WAS THE TDoR WE HAD A SERVICE TO REMEMBER THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN MURDERED FOR JUST BEING TRANSGENDER, STEPH MADE A BELL THAT WE RUNG FOR EACH NAME THAT WAS READ OUT AND ALEX DID A PRAYER, 4 MEMBERS OF THE GROUP RANG THE BELL.

OUR HOPES FOR 2016 WOULD BE TO HAVE MORE ATTENDING, LOOKING AT A GRANT TO PURCHASE SOME EQUIPMENT FOR PRINTING DOCUMENTS AND FORMS FOR UPDATING MEMBERS DETAILS WITH GOVERNMENT DEPT’S AS STEPHANIE IS NOW A JP.

WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO GET SOME EQUIPMENT THAT THOSE TRANSITIONING NEED TO USE AS THEY TRANSITION EG THE MAN BITS/BINDERS AND THE WOMENS BITS/BREAST FORMS, WERE ALSO HOPING FOR AN OFFICE AREA TO HELP THOSE IN NEED FULL-TIME.

AND PLAN MORE GROUP ACTIVITIES FOR MEMBERS AND THEIR PARTNERS AND FAMILIES…….

Alex Foster for the WSTSG

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