TRANS SELF-SUPPORT GROUP - second year!
The first Trans Self-Support Group was formed in Gayten-LGTB Center for the Promotion of Human Rights in Belgrade on the 30th August 2006. Four persons attended the first meeting; two years later the group has almost four times that number. The group currently has 15 permanent members, including members from abroad (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Austria, U.K. and U.S.A.), as well as a number of potential members awaiting their admittance interview. The system of admitting new members remains the same: group coordinator conducts an interview consulting an assistant. Currently, the youngest group members are 16 and are occasionally involved with the group. The number of the group members has increased and a number of transgender persons joined as well. Partners occasionally join in the group meetings and one of the two supervisors is continuously present. The list of persons interested in the group is constantly increasing and many people in Serbia and abroad are very willing to participate in various group activities.
The group has established a list of rules, as well as responsibilities continually respected and applied. The meetings are scheduled twice a month or more often if needed. Topics are varied and are suggested by the participants. Some of the topics include: coming out to family and friends, socialization, work, phases of transition, problems during the transition, doctors' contacts and information, activism, public appearance, etc. In addition to the regular group meetings, the group continues to organize a number of other activities in cooperation with other NGOs. These activities include: lectures, picnics, movie projections, parties, friendly gatherings, etc. Many of the group members socialize together outside of the group setting. New interests have arisen and many persons show interest in the activities and structure of the NGO sector, activism and the Trans movement itself. A number of group members are active in additional Trans section activities and some even preformed publicly at a Victims of Transphobia commemoration day to help support and empower the Trans community.
Contact has been established and it is certain that we will cooperate with the newly established Roma LGBTIQ self-support group within Gayten-LGBT. Cooperation with other groups enables us to gather more comprehensive information and experiences, as well as needs of all Trans persons (transgender, transsexual and transvestites).
Free legal advice and aid is available for all the members and is provided by the two lawyers. A number of psychologists are also available free of charge for group members. Due to the information shared about the group's existence during Labris' seminar for psychologists, new volunteers are available to provide group members with free psychological aid.
Gayten-LGBT team, lead by our lawyer, has analyzed the key legislative areas concerning Trans rights and work necessary to recommend legislative changes. Serbia laws do not recognize the categories of gender identity and expression, transgenderism, or the sex re-assignment process all of which continue to be undefined leaving Trans persons open to economic violence and discrimination of every kind.
A number of international organizations and institutions are interested in this project and necessary information will be sent at a later point.
The work of Gayten's Trans section and the matter of rights and position of the Trans persons in the community were presented during the experts' meeting at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg on the 18th November 2008.
Information regarding the group's existence and work is continually forwarded to safe (LGBTIQ friendly) web sites, organizations and individuals. New information is also regularly sent to doctors: psychiatrist, psychologist, endocrinologist and surgeon, as well as to legal and psychological section of Gayten-LGBT and other persons in frequent contact with the Trans population. Contact information is also given at every seminar or training session in Serbia and abroad. The network of NGOs which could be in contact with potential new members has also increased.
Thanks to the group's improved visibility, a number of journalists (from TV stations and magazines) have contacted the group. A few affirmative magazine texts have already been published and two TV shows talking about transsexuality were aired. Cooperation with the journalists is continuous and they are provided with necessary information to help them understand the problems faced by Trans persons.
A number of group members have taken the initiative and volunteer on the creation and maintenance of the first web site dealing with the Trans issues. Information, news and similar content are available on the web site, as well as relevant medical achievements. Anonymity and protection is provided for all who which to leave suggestions and recommendations. The site is current and has many visitors. Please feel free to visit: www.transserbia.org
We continually collect articles and texts from the newspapers and magazines, various literature and movies with Trans themes from Serbia and abroad. Cooperation with NGOs in the ex-Yu region has enabled us to exchange printed and film materials. All the materials are available to our members, as well as other interested individuals.
International level ? as the first official Trans self-support group in Serbia and the only one in the ex-Yu region, this group helps empower people from the surrounding countries (ex0Yu region) to organize themselves and form their own self-support groups and other activities regarding rights and existence of Trans persons.
Cooperation has been established on different levels with different organizations: Kontra (Zagreb), Iskorak (Zagreb), Lori (Rijeka), Q (Sarajevo). As the number of group members continues to increase, the number of activities and fields of operations of the Trans section within Gayten-LGBT itself increases.
Trans section coordinator continues to hold lectures/workshops in various NGOs involved with the LGBTIQ populations, as well as other interested groups and organizations.
Group's two-year anniversary was celebrated on the 29th August 2008 with a small party attended by the group members, their partners, as well as the friends and guests of the group. The meeting following the party was dedicated to the summation of all the achievements in the previous two years, as well as future growth and development possibilities.
The only funding we have received thus far is from Astraea, New York. However, considering the needs, problems and regular activities, we are hoping that the new project will be taken into consideration and supported.
For any additional information, please contact:
