In my dream, there is a place, a real life place, where those of us who have been abused, deserted, thrown out by their families, whatever, can come to for a fresh start. This is not just my dream, it's the dream of many others. This would include Sephrena's idea about a lottery monthly for someone to receive their transitional surgeries, M-F or F-M.
I envision a motel-like building with individual rooms, but with a large common area for gathering together and for meals, as well as instructions anyone might need in such areas as Makeup, clothing matching, deportment, voice training, etc.
Should I ever be fortunate enough to win a large lottery, I intend to search for such a place, purchase it, modify it so it meets todays standards, and open it to anyone who truly needs. My heart breaks every time I hear of one of us who has been rejected by family, friends, co-workers and the like, and who ends up living 'hand to mouth' in some rat trap, barely able to pay rent and buy food. Worse, are those of us who attempt and maybe succeed at committing suicide, simply because they feel no-one understands or cares about them.
I care, my sisters and brothers. I CARE! For all I have received since I began traveling this TS path, I have a need to repay, or pay it forward. If ANY of you are fortunate enough to win a big lottery, I beg you to consider this dream, and help it come to fruition.
My pledge is this: Should I win, I WILL begin the process. If necessary, I will do it alone, but it would go so much better, faster and smoother, with help in whatever form you can offer. Whether its help with voice training or any of the other things I mentioned above, or any other area that would help a place like this work, like organizational skills, I would ask your help.
Do I expect this to really happen? Realistically, no. Do I dream it, constantly? Emphatically YES! Will I do it? You bet your sweet, collective bippys I will.
Am I dumb to hope, to pray for something like this? Would I be stupid to attempt to initiate it, should I be fortunate enough to have the wherewithall?
God Bless us all and make this dream a reality.
Catherine Linda Michel
Comments
I am with you 100%
I have mentioned the following to you and a number of other people, though pretty much in private. now, I am going to say it publicly.
I have long envisioned a center much as you described, that could be a central clearinghouse for information to help the transgendered, and a facility such as you have described, able to provides, temporarily, a place where help in transitioning is available for a few months up to maybe a year, before, during and after surgery, including some job training where needed at local private centers.
I have met many who after surgery have gone on to be quite successful, some who always were successful and remained that way, but unfortunately, some who have not been able to do so because of lack of education. This may be from being discriminated against deliberately or ‘accidentally’, because they were different. Or it might be because the knowledge they were’ different’ kept them from being able to apply themselves. But in any case, the do not have the job skills to let them better themselves.
Because too much time is spent just trying to make it, they do not have the time to go out and get those skills.
Without self-esteem, they may also just feel ‘what’s the use?’
All of these are issues that need to be attacked.
I’ve put a lot of thought into it, and the amount of money needed to support such a center to be able to help even 50 people per year is staggering.
The facility is part of it. A permanent staff, even if aided by those being helped is another big part of it. The cost of running it has to include upkeep of the facility, utilities, food, furnishings, transportation to and from the facility, medical*, etc. The list just keeps getting better the more I look at it.
I also can’t see any way to get anything of this magnitude underway without a major lottery win. I cannot foresee any governmental help
* Medical must include day to day health, therapy, and electrolysis in some cases, on top of any actual modification surgeries such as SGRS/GRS, or other plastic surgery.
As you said, God Bless us all and make this dream a reality.
Holly Logan, aka Holly Hart
One of the most difficult things to give away is kindness.
It usually comes back to you.
Holly
My dream (if I could get the
My dream (if I could get the money) is to build a casino in Las Vegas and hire only TG employees where possible for all jobs in the casino and hotel.
Melanie