Trans Help Lines

Submitted by Lucky Black Cat on June 3, 2018

I just watched ContraPoints's latest video, and her pinned comment says this:

I feel that I should say that now is a particularly difficult time to be trans and a lot of us are feeling it. If you need help, contact these orgs:

Trans Lifeline
USA: (877) 565-8860
Canada: (877) 330-6366

The Trevor Project (LGBTQ*)
USA: (866) 488-7386

It made me remember how some trans comrades here on libcom recently posted comments about how they've on several occasions faced a lack of acceptance from other anarchists, and how that hurts them, so I thought I should post this here.

Even if you don't need it, you might know someone who does, or want to use it in the future.

These lines are for trans people, for people who are unsure about their gender identity, or for people who've not transitioned and have gender dysphoria.

I also found this UK number

National Trans 24 Helpline
07527 524034

Lucky Black Cat

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Lucky Black Cat on June 3, 2018

Oh, and I should also mention...

As someone who's called crisis lines in the past (for other issues), I can say that if someone you talk to is unhelpful, don't get discouraged; call again.

One time I called a crisis line and the person on the other end was shockingly awful and rude. I immediately called again, spoke to someone else, and had such a wonderful, helpful conversation it surpassed my highest expectations.

Between Your Teeth

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Between Your Teeth on June 3, 2018

I think the number one piece of advice i would give to other trans comrades, one which i generally follow myself, would be not to read libcom.

But then again people have a tendency to learn lots of self destructive coping mechanisms so here I am clicking on a forum subject that says "the poverty of identity politics." i'm sure this will go well.

Noah Fence

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Noah Fence on June 3, 2018

Between Your Teeth

I think the number one piece of advice i would give to other trans comrades, one which i generally follow myself, would be not to read libcom.

Well, fair enough, but doesn’t that really just equate to ‘don’t read anything on the internet’?

adri

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by adri on June 3, 2018

Just an fyi, instead of making this into a discussion thread, you can also send out a message to multiple people in the messages tab (just separate names with commas). It seems kind of counterproductive to have another thread that will attract the same type of commenting as in the previous thread.

Noah Fence

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Noah Fence on June 3, 2018

zugzwang

Just an fyi, instead of making this into a discussion thread, you can also send out a message to multiple people in the messages tab (just separate names with commas). It seems kind of counterproductive to have another thread that will attract the same type of commenting as in the previous thread.

Oh god, you’re probably right, they would invade this thread too. Hopefully not though as they seem to have cut and run. For now...

ticking_fool

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by ticking_fool on June 3, 2018

Noah Fence

Between Your Teeth

I think the number one piece of advice i would give to other trans comrades, one which i generally follow myself, would be not to read libcom.

Well, fair enough, but doesn’t that really just equate to ‘don’t read anything on the internet’?

Alot of us use more closed spaces or places where it's easy to just block people. Libcom is particularly terrible tbqh. I really should stay the fuck off here.

Noah Fence

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Noah Fence on June 3, 2018

Fuck, I’m sorry it’s that way. What do you think the reason is that it’s so poor here? If indeed it is.(I mean, I’ve nothing to compare it to and probably just don’t notice things in the way you do).

ticking_fool

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by ticking_fool on June 3, 2018

No blocks, simple as that tbh. You end up engaging with people you'd just ignore and block elsewhere. So it gets under your skin more. Tbh, I quit these forums years ago, pre transition, because they were really bad for me and I've only come back because I'm struggling to leave the AF thing alone.

Lucky Black Cat

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Lucky Black Cat on June 3, 2018

zugzwang

Just an fyi, instead of making this into a discussion thread, you can also send out a message to multiple people in the messages tab (just separate names with commas).

Hi Zugzwang. The problem with this idea is there may be many lurkers who could benefit from these helplines, so I wouldn't know who to send the message to. Many may not even have libcom accounts.

radicalgraffiti

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by radicalgraffiti on June 3, 2018

i would also add that if no one posts stuff about trans things in case in attracts the wrong kind of attention it basically means surrendering the forums to bigots. thats why i think its incredibly misguided to tell people in a marginalised group not to discuss issues surrounding it, thats been the general response in gaming spaces and look how thats gone

Noah Fence

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Noah Fence on June 3, 2018

radicalgraffiti

i would also add that if no one posts stuff about trans things in case in attracts the wrong kind of attention it basically means surrendering the forums to bigots. thats why i think its incredibly misguided to tell people in a marginalised group not to discuss issues surrounding it, thats been the general response in gaming spaces and look how thats gone

RG, you are absolutely right, yet if you look at Ticking Fool’s recent comments you can understand why they would not want to take part. If they don’t though, people like me that have practically no understanding of the issue at hand but genuinely would like to offer solidarity, will be the less able to do so, and much less able to challenge assholes who perpetuate such vile views in real life.

Noah Fence

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Noah Fence on June 3, 2018

I chanced upon a video about work by a comic called Steve Hughes which was really on point. I then watched a few more vids and whilst he clearly wasn’t a radical of any sort, he had a pretty good critique of government, corporations and some aspects of social relations. He was also very funny. So I thought he was a good find.
Then I clicked on what turned out to be an interview and found myself listening to a vile rant about trans people, likening them to people that identify as unicorns! It really was unbelievable and as stupid as it was hateful.
Seriously, where does this extreme bigotry come from? What is it about trans stuff that brings out such fevered hatred and preposterous ideas and misunderstandings in even people that seem in other areas to take a sensible view of things?

Noah Fence

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Noah Fence on June 3, 2018

I don’t normally pay much attention to such things but who is the fucking fool that down voted RGs comment? Ffs.

Lucky Black Cat

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Lucky Black Cat on June 3, 2018

Noah Fence

I don’t normally pay much attention to such things but who is the fucking fool that down voted RGs comment? Ffs.

Steve Hughes

Noah Fence

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Noah Fence on June 3, 2018

Lucky Black Cat

Noah Fence

I don’t normally pay much attention to such things but who is the fucking fool that down voted RGs comment? Ffs.

Steve Hughes

Full marks comrade! You win the Libcomedy award!

adri

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by adri on June 3, 2018

radicalgraffiti

i would also add that if no one posts stuff about trans things in case in attracts the wrong kind of attention it basically means surrendering the forums to bigots. thats why i think its incredibly misguided to tell people in a marginalised group not to discuss issues surrounding it, thats been the general response in gaming spaces and look how thats gone

I'm not sure if this is directed at me? If so I never said we should not post trans-related material on the forums. I only meant it seems counterproductive to have a crisis resources thread for trans people with transphobes in the comments below. There are many people here who know of someone or might themselves be crisis-prone. If we're being serious I'd rather have an updated libcom crisis resources page (assuming anyone would ever stumble upon and benefit from that).

radicalgraffiti

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by radicalgraffiti on June 4, 2018

zugzwang

radicalgraffiti

i would also add that if no one posts stuff about trans things in case in attracts the wrong kind of attention it basically means surrendering the forums to bigots. thats why i think its incredibly misguided to tell people in a marginalised group not to discuss issues surrounding it, thats been the general response in gaming spaces and look how thats gone

I'm not sure if this is directed at me? If so I never said we should not post trans-related material on the forums. I only meant it seems counterproductive to have a crisis resources thread for trans people with transphobes in the comments below. There are many people here who know of someone or might themselves be crisis-prone. If we're being serious I'd rather have an updated libcom crisis resources page (assuming anyone would ever stumble upon and benefit from that).

it was, and i think saying that is counter productive to start this thread amounts to "dont post about trans stuff on the forums", we dont have to have trans phobes in the comments, although if they turn up its probably more important to have resources like this

radicalgraffiti

5 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by radicalgraffiti on June 4, 2018

Noah Fence

radicalgraffiti

i would also add that if no one posts stuff about trans things in case in attracts the wrong kind of attention it basically means surrendering the forums to bigots. thats why i think its incredibly misguided to tell people in a marginalised group not to discuss issues surrounding it, thats been the general response in gaming spaces and look how thats gone

RG, you are absolutely right, yet if you look at Ticking Fool’s recent comments you can understand why they would not want to take part. If they don’t though, people like me that have practically no understanding of the issue at hand but genuinely would like to offer solidarity, will be the less able to do so, and much less able to challenge assholes who perpetuate such vile views in real life.

right, people who are trans are not obliged to comment, and seeing how libcom has been i could certainly see why they might not want to, but it would be good if we could create a supportive environment for those that do want to

Noah Fence

I chanced upon a video about work by a comic called Steve Hughes which was really on point. I then watched a few more vids and whilst he clearly wasn’t a radical of any sort, he had a pretty good critique of government, corporations and some aspects of social relations. He was also very funny. So I thought he was a good find.
Then I clicked on what turned out to be an interview and found myself listening to a vile rant about trans people, likening them to people that identify as unicorns! It really was unbelievable and as stupid as it was hateful.
Seriously, where does this extreme bigotry come from? What is it about trans stuff that brings out such fevered hatred and preposterous ideas and misunderstandings in even people that seem in other areas to take a sensible view of things?

i think as other areas of bigotory have been closed off as legitimate opinions trans people have become the symbols of everting the right hates, while the left and liberals have tended to ignore the issue allowing large amounts of anti trans discourse to pass its self off as common sense, especially since most people are not well informed about gender or biology

Noah Fence

I don’t normally pay much attention to such things but who is the fucking fool that down voted RGs comment? Ffs.

well it could be someone i've personally annoyed or it could be a committed transphobe, even a nazi, its one of the disadvantages of the current voting system that you dont know why someone down voted something, in my opinion removing down votes tends to reduce toxicity, although its far from the only factor

adri

5 years 9 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by adri on June 4, 2018

radicalgraffiti

it was, and i think saying that is counter productive to start this thread amounts to "dont post about trans stuff on the forums", we dont have to have trans phobes in the comments, although if they turn up its probably more important to have resources like this

I'm going off the current situation. I don't think you'd like reading hurtful comments as you're seeking help. I don't believe anyone "needed" this thread or was waiting for someone to share this info with us. (And what does that say about all of us who didn't start this thread?) If we're going to be at all consistent, with the criterion being "there might be someone out there who is crisis-prone," then we should start similar threads for them as well (or not). If you know of someone specifically then it would make more sense to message them directly.

Noah Fence

5 years 9 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Noah Fence on June 4, 2018

Deleted

radicalgraffiti

5 years 9 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by radicalgraffiti on June 4, 2018

zugzwang

radicalgraffiti

it was, and i think saying that is counter productive to start this thread amounts to "dont post about trans stuff on the forums", we dont have to have trans phobes in the comments, although if they turn up its probably more important to have resources like this

I'm going off the current situation. I don't think you'd like reading hurtful comments as you're seeking help. I don't believe anyone "needed" this thread or was waiting for someone to share this info with us. (And what does that say about all of us who didn't start this thread?) If we're going to be at all consistent, with the criterion being "there might be someone out there who is crisis-prone," then we should start similar threads for them as well (or not). If you know of someone specifically then it would make more sense to message them directly.

my impression was this was aimed at people who have already read such comments on the other thread. its a thread about trans help lines because there was just a thread where people where being shity about trans issues, thats when this sort of thing is going to be most relevant to a forum, and thats why this issue

comradeEmma

5 years 9 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by comradeEmma on June 4, 2018

If anyone wants a trans (leftist) safe-space I can recommend this discord server that I am a mod of. Despite my username, it is a largely anarchist dominated.

Lucky Black Cat

5 years 9 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Lucky Black Cat on June 4, 2018

zugzwang

I don't believe anyone "needed" this thread or was waiting for someone to share this info with us. (And what does that say about all of us who didn't start this thread?)

It says nothing at all about anyone. I'm not sure what you mean by this?

And yeah, maybe nobody needed it, but who knows? No harm in sharing.

Until seeing the ContraPoints video/comment, I never knew that trans specific helplines existed. I figured maybe a lot of other people don't know, either. The trans suicide rate is very high, so the more people who know about these helplines, the better.

I didn't have any particular person in mind when making this post. Which is another reason I didn't send PMs... it would be weird to single individuals out and assume they needed help. (I wouldn't make that assumption about anyone.)

Ramona

5 years 9 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Ramona on June 6, 2018

There's a lot of information for young trans people on the Mermaids website, also for parents of trans young people too. They have a helpline on 0344 334 0550 Mon-Fri, 9am-9pm, and are great. Donating to them is a great thing cis people can do to support our trans comrades.