Resources for transgender youth and their families

The Pediatric and Adolescent Transgender Health (PATH) Clinic in Madison, Wis., provides education about medical care options for gender-variant children and adolescents.

School-related resources

Committed to safe middle schools and high schools for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youths and all students. GSAFE provides leadership opportunities for students involved in a GSA or similar club at their school and hosts several activities and leadership conferences for students each year. GSAFE also provides training and online resources for public and private schools in south central Wisconsin.

Services provided include participation in crisis response/intervention when requested, referral of students and families to appropriate community resources and availability to individual LGBTQIA+ students at each school. Also coordinates a group for parents of transgender children and adolescents.

Information and resources for transgender students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Includes information on name change in the UW system, health insurance coverage of transition and further resources.

Offers professional development tools, lessons aligned with the Common Core state standards, and many additional resources for elementary schools on embracing family diversity, avoiding gender stereotyping and affirming gender and ending bullying and name-calling.

Gay-Straight Alliance Network is a national youth leadership organization that connects school-based Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) to each other and community resources through peer support, leadership development and training.

Activities and support for transgender youth and families

Middle and high school-aged youth come together each week to create theatrical vignettes and performance pieces, inspired in part by their own experiences as members of the LGBTQ community; youth with LGBTQ parents, family members and friends; or those who are allies of LGBTQ persons.

OutReach has community space, as well as a LGBT library and switchboard to help connect LGBT persons with services (including medical and legal services) as well as local events and other information. OutReach has a presence in Rock County as well as a program for 18- to 24-year-olds called “OutThere.” Both OutReach Rock County and OutThere have pages on Facebook.

Monthly support meeting for parents of transgender youth. Open to families in the Madison area; do not need to be in the Madison Metropolitan School District. Youth often meet separately in a group at the same time.

PFLAG promotes the health and well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons, their families and friends through support, to cope with an adverse society, education and advocacy to end discrimination and to secure equal civil rights. Monthly meetings (September through May) include an educational topic and a support session.

An organization whose mission is to support, educate and advocate for the rights and lives of transgender individuals and SOFFAs (significant others, friends, families and allies). FORGE offers monthly social support groups, as well as resources for transgender persons who are survivors of violence. They also host a list of therapists and physicians throughout the midwest who are accustomed to working with transgender persons on their website.

One of the nations (LGBT) organizations. The agency serves adults and youth in its diverse health and social service delivery system focused around seven major programmatic divisions: primary medical care, behavioral health, research, HIV/STD prevention, youth services, elder services and community initiatives. HBHC coordinates support groups for transgender youth and has information about transitioning and hormone therapy on their website.

Fenway Health’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Helpline and Peer Listening Line are anonymous and confidential phone lines that offer gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender adults and youths a “safe place” to call for information, referrals and support. They also offer an online chat option.

This organization provides education, training and support to help to create a gender sensitive and inclusive environment for all children and teens. Gender Spectrum offers online groups for pre-teens, teens, parents, caregivers and other family members and adults.

Offering pre-teen and teen events with nature-based and equine therapy.

Provides intervention and crisis support 24 hours, 7 days a week for those 25 and younger.

Information and additional resources

Information and resources about transgender health, including guidelines and recommendations.

Organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services for LGBTQ+ youth.

Provides extensive information on and support for LGBTQ youth, including information on safe binding, safe tucking, finding your voice, etc.

A non-profit organization with a mission to uplift, empower and connect LGBTQ youth.

Books

  • "The Transgender Child: A Handbook for Families and Professionals," by Stephanie Brill and Rachel Pepper

  • "Transitions of the Heart: Stories of Love, Struggle and Acceptance by Mothers of Transgender and Gender Variant Children," by Rachel Pepper

  • "Transgender Rights," edited by Paisley Currah, Richard M. Jung, and Shannon Price Minter

  • "The Transgender Teen," by Stephanie Brill

  • Booklist

  • "Be Who You Are," by Jennifer Carr

  • "10,000 Dresses," by Marcus Ewert

  • "Where's My Book?," by Linda Gromko, MD: A guide to help parents and teens (even younger teens) navigate puberty

  • Booklist

  • "Outlaw: What LGBT Youth Should Know," by Lisa Keen

  • "Gender Identity: The Ultimate Teen Guide," by Cynthia Winfield

  • "The Gender Quest Workbook: A Guide for Teens and Young Adults"

  • Booklist

In the media

  • "Becoming Me:" In this PBS documentary, eight families with transgender and gender non-conforming children ranging in ages from 5 to 25 share their stories. With the healthy development of their children at stake, parents must confront binary perceptions of gender, widespread transphobia and controversial parenting decisions.

  • Growing Up Trans: A PBS Frontline special that provides an intimate look at the struggles and choices facing transgender kids and their families.

  • "Two Families Grapple with Son’s Gender Identity" (NPR): Doctors Ken Zucker and Diane Ehrensaft have different approaches to treating kids who identify themselves more with the opposite sex.

  • "Parents Consider Treatment to Delay Son’s Puberty" (NPR): Doctors Norman Spack and Polly Carmichael on medical treatment for trans youth

  • "Transgender Kids" NPR Forum with Michael Krasny: Diane Ehrensaft, a developmental and clinical psychologist working with transgender families; Joel Baum, director of education and training for Gender Spectrum; and Rachel Beckert, mother of a transgender 7-year-old, discuss the experience of being the parents of a transgender child.

  • Transhood: A documentary filmed over five years and released in 2020 that follows the lives of four transgender children.

  • Disclosure: A documentary released in 2020 that provides in-depth look at Hollywood's depiction of transgender people and the impact of those stories on transgender lives and American culture.

  • Ologies: Two-part podcast series.

  • "Raising Ryland "

  • Video game: If Found

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