Starting in 2021, we will be offering family peer support for families searching for a way to support loved ones who are transgender, nonbinary or otherwise gender diverse. We will generally match family members who have less experience with this kind of support with trained volunteer families members who have more experience.

 

This will not require being part of a group but rather will be a low pressure situation with different options for one-on-one conversations, either through phone calls or in-person meetings. The family peer support approach has been used successfully by other organizations and we believe it will work well for GIVS. 

 

A person who is transitioning can feel particularly vulnerable, whether that transition is happening socially and/or medically. We believe that offering family peer support is a way to help family members overcome fears, misconceptions and a sense of aloneness.

 

If families can get support from other families, we are hopeful that they will be able to truly be there for their transgender or gender diverse loved one in a way that their loved one needs and deserves.