The Transgender Education Network of Texas is an organization dedicated to furthering the education of gender diversity in the State of Texas. We work to accomplish this through education and networking in both public and private forums. Through our efforts we strive to halt discrimination through social, legal, legislative and corporate education.

The Board of Directors of Transgender Education Network of Texas would like to invite you to a Meet & Greet, the evening of January 28th from 6 till 8pm. Wine and Cheese will be provided as well as a short presentation about TENT, who we are, and what our vision is for Texas. All are welcome, gender diverse persons are specifically encouraged to attend. Come as you are and let us start a discussion of what you would like to see changed in the state.

WHAT:  TENT Meet & Greet

WHEN:  Saturday, January  28th, 2012

WHERE:  TG Center, 604 Pacific, Houston, Tx, 77027

She left her hometown to get away from the physical and psychological torment she was subjected to and came to Houston. She initially sought shelter at the Star of Hope mission (a Christian shelter) and was turned away because they have a no-trans policy at the faith-based shelter. She then went to Covenant House.

Covenant House is a faith-based youth shelter accessible to GLBT youth in the Montrose (AKA, “The gay part of town”). Covenant House has a long history of denying shelter to trans and intersexed kids — a policy that has resulted in death, human trafficking and every horror the streets save up for homeless youth.

On June 19, the Transgender Center made this post about a meeting several TG Center representatives had with Covenant House leadership.

The issues documented in the following video took place on June 30th:

Covenant House (CH) staff plunged this individual into a potentiality dangerous situation. CH staff made the choice to ensure all were aware of this client’s private medical information (GID DX) and then housed her with men. When the men began to verbally abuse this individual and the abuse escalated, CH staff turned a blind eye. Fearing that history was about to repeat itself (that she would soon be assaulted), this individual fled CH and is now living on the streets.

Kristen Schilt is a professor of Sociology at the University of Chicago. She received her PhD from UCLA in 2006 and then spent two years at Rice University. She has just finished a book, coming out this winter, about the workplace experiences of transgender men. For this project, she interviewed transmen in Texas and California who were stealth at work and who had openly transitioned and stayed in the same jobs. As she believes it is very important to study non-trans people’s attitudes towards transgender people, she also interviewed the co-workers of transmen when possible. Building on this research, she has been collecting data on how cisgender(non-trans) people understand the term “transgender.”

For her next major project, she is interviewing transgender, including cross dressing, women about their transition experiences. In particular, she is interested in how making the physical transition into womanhood impacts daily interactions with friends, family, co-workers, and people on the street. As with her previous project, she is also interested in understanding how cisgender men and women understand transwomen. So, she is also asking transwomen who are interested in being interviewed to recommend two people who knew them “before and after” – whether a friend, a family member, or a co-worker – for interviews. For her, this addition is vital. As cisgender people, particularly men, are the main sources of violence and harassment toward transgender people, it is necessary to understand their beliefs and opinions on the transition process to get social change.

She will be conducting interviews with transwomen who are interested in Illinois and in Texas. She welcomes many questions about her research and hopes anyone interested (or just hungry) can make it to the bar-b-que on Sunday, June 20th. As always, vegetarian cuisine will be available!

What: Meet & Greet Social w/Dr Kristen Schilt

Who: Trans Identified women

When: June 20th 12-5 pm

Where: TG Center, 604 Pacific, 77006

Why: For fun and future research!

The Transgender Center is happy to announce a new low-impact TG aerobics class! Beginning June 9th (6:30 – 8 PM) the TG Center will host a weekly low-impact aerobics class designed to meet the needs of the transgender population, lead by professional aerobics trainer, Mandy T. from Mod Your Bod.

An Introduction to Mandy:

For two years, Mod Your Body has been making residents of the Heights and Montrose lean, mean thriving machines. Clients have ranged from bartenders, actors, artists, local musicians, dj’s and drag performers to stay-at-home mothers, fathers, teachers, dance instructors, and many more of Houston’s most interesting folks.

I teach my clients that they don’t need a gym or special equipment to stay in shape. Your own body weight and determination are all you need. We talk endlessly about food and lifestyle choices that can be modified to make being healthy, energetic, and beautiful easier. Best of all, we have a great time doing it!

My story is a little unusual. I haven’t been a lifelong athlete. In fact, most of my life I would have given anything to keep from sweating. I was the kid that failed P.E. class and was routinely the first one to get hit with the dodge ball.

A little over 6 years ago, I (very) reluctantly started working out because I realized that my sedentary lifestyle had finally caught up with me. I had 3 kids and was newly divorced, with a new job tending one of the most high volume bars in the city. I had to get in shape, if for no other reason than to have more energy.

Fast forward four years: I lost 50 pounds and became PASSIONATE about fitness, which led to me getting my own certification to become a personal fitness trainer.

I have now been training professionally for almost 2 years. I am devoted to helping people get those benefits and rewards that I love so much from exercise.

MORE INFO:

Cost: FREE, donations accepted

When: Wednesday, June 9 from 6:30 to 8 PM

Where: The TG Center

RSVP: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=129935847017449

Why It’s Needed - As many of you know, emergency shelters continue to refuse service to transgender people and the emergency shelter system has even jailed transgender hurricane evacuees ¹. 

Some of us within the community do not have family that we can rely upon during a natural disaster. During Hurricane Ike, our community’s ability to get help or check on others was severely negated.

What Is Needed? - Since transgender people are vulnerable to becoming victims of bigotry during a natural disaster, the TG Center is pulling together a list of volunteers who are willing to host their transgender brothers and sisters during an evacuation scenario.

If you live north of Houston and are willing to host an TG evacuee, please send an email to:StormHosting@tgctr.org .

Who Is In Need? - The TG Center is compiling a list of potentially vulnerable community members. If you feel that you may need assistance before or after a hurricane, please send an email to: StormCheck@tgctr.org .

Community Communication

What You Need To Know- The TG Center has set up a very simple emergency site that iscross-compatible with mobile devices. In the event of a hurricane, this site will have up-to-the-minute information, including a messaging system that will allow community members to post updates (and respond to posts) via their mobile phone. This site will include:

• Emergency contact information
• A current hurricane tracking map
• Current hurricane news
• Communications from community members
• Chat capability

TG Center’s Emergency Hurricane Site:

tgctr.org/storm

Community. Service.

On Sunday, May 23, 2010 (Harvey Milk Day), Houston Stonewall Young Democrats (HSYD) worked with the Transgender Foundation of America to help with some projects at the new Transgender Center. A tremendous resource to the community, the center feels like stepping inside of a well-loved home and HSYD was so happy to be a part of helping with this project.” HSYD member Brad Pritchett.

Thank you so much Brad and Robert Shipman for putting all this together!

Yesterday, the TG Center received this lovely note from an old client:

The note reads: “I’d like to say thank you to the Transgender Foundation of America for all their help since I started my journey to transition. A couple of years ago I was lucky enough to be given a fundraiser with the help of TFA and STAG. I had been working 2 full-time jobs to save money for my chest surgery but their generosity made my surgery possible raising $1200. I’m grateful for their assistance & feel privileged for their assistance because I was the first guy to have a benefit held, and know any surgery is expensive, so there benefit shows are greatly appreciated.”

Friends,

After a number of months, the TG Center will reopen in April and will celebrate our Grand Reopening Sunday May 2, 2010.

In February 2010, the Transgender Foundation of America (TFA) sent out a survey that was designed to gauge the community’s desire to have another TG Center. When the survey was completed, we found that the vast majority of the respondents wanted TFA to reopen the TG Center.

The location of the new TG Center is 604 Pacific Street in the heart of the Montrose. The big move-in day is scheduled for April 17th and the first meeting scheduled at the new TG Center will be HTGA on April 26th from 7 to 9 PM. The TG Center will be open during Unity Week (April 26 – 30) and will be open for tours on the day of the Unity Banquet, May 1st from 10 AM to 4 PM. The Grand Reopening and ribbon cutting ceremony is scheduled for the day after the Unity Banquet, Sunday May 2nd from 11 AM to 6 PM. Brunch will be served from 11 AM until 2 PM, lite snacks will follow.

In addition to providing free meeting space for TG groups, a research library and the only transgender archive of it’s kind to the community, the TG Center provides many needed services to the TG Community. A small sampling of these services are:

• A transgender homeless program.
• Free therapy.
• Free HIV testing, counseling and risk reduction services.
• Assistance with name changes.
• A staffed help-line.
• Medication assistance.
• Surgery assistance.
• Vets service providers before referring the TG community to them.
• Comprehensive case management services.

Starting with the efforts of the Chair of the Unity Committee, Brenda Thomas and Josephine Tittsworth, Houston has been home to no less than four TG Centers.

FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/TFA-Houston/106760432685591

Twitter: http://twitter.com/tgcenter

Myra was murdered just off of Richmond on the 4300 block of Garrot in the Montrose area. She went down fighting; she had a lot of bruising and defensive wounds when her body was found around 2 PM on Monday the 18th. Her legal name was Ruben Dario Ical.

She was last seen in a black blouse, black jeans and a black sweater. Her body was found partially clothed.

As of right now, HPD has ZERO leads. Any information could be useful at this point! Please forward this information far and wide. It is important that we break the chain of unsolved transgender murders in Houston.

Please call: 713-520-8586

Thank you,

Cristan Williams