‘Beyond the Binary’: Month of activities planned to empower trans youth 

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A Michigan-based organization will be hosting a month-long series of events with the goal of uplifting and inspiring transgender and non-binary youth.

Stand with Trans will hold its fifth annual Trans Empowerment Month in October with the theme this year, “Beyond the Binary,” offering a month of “education, resilience and community” that include virtual workshops, panels and performances.

“The intention of the month is to empower folks in the community by giving them access to resources and tools,” Roz Keith, Stand with Trans founder and executive director told the Michigan Advance. “One of the most beneficial and powerful things that comes out of this is that folks who attend get access to subject matter experts, content creators, influencers, people who really know what they’re talking about, and they wouldn’t ordinarily have access to.”

The events and workshops come amid election year rhetoric surrounding trans people, especially transgender youth, as well as what the organization calls “an alarming surge in legislation aimed at undermining the rights of trans young people.” 

According to The Trevor Project, 41% of LGBTQ+ young people seriously consider suicide, with transgender and non-binary youth reporting even high rates. 

With that in mind, Keith says the Trans Empowerment Month activities are more crucial than ever in bringing together real issues, conversations, and people.

“In a world where trans youth face unprecedented challenges, including systemic discrimination and mental health crises, it’s vital that we create spaces where they can feel seen, heard, and empowered,” she said. “Attendees will walk away feeling hopeful and supported.”

Also featured will be Dr. Daniel Schumer, a pediatric endocrinologist with Michigan Medicine, who will hold two sessions on Oct. 9, one for youth and the other for parents, each discussing “Gender-Affirming Care in Adolescence: Current Standards of Care and Areas of Debate.”

Keith says with a lengthy waiting list to be seen at Michigan Medicine’s Comprehensive Gender Services Program (CGSP), the session with Schumer provides rare access for those who want more information.

“You can’t just pick up the phone and call Dr. Schumer and say, ‘Hey, talk to me about this.’ So here’s an opportunity to ask questions,” she said “Come prepared to get informed so you can better understand what all that means.”

Schumer addressed that point in a TikTok video about the sessions. 

“During these talks I’m going to be talking a little bit about what to expect if you are referred to a pediatric gender clinic,” he said. “So I’m going to be myth-busting a little bit and talking about what the current evidence suggests with regards to treatment of gender dysphoria, and I’m going to give a lot of time to questions.”

Other presentations include Special Agent Sean Lobar, the Civil Rights Coordinator for the FBI’s Detroit Field Office, and Jay Kaplan, staff attorney for the ACLU of Michigan’s LGBTQ+ Project.

Keith says because of corporate sponsors including Domino’s, Ally Bank, UBS, and Dickinson Wright, Trans Empowerment Month 2024 is able to offer participation in the event free of charge for youth and young adults through age 24. For all others, it is $50 for the entire month of events, with registration now available here.

Making sure there are no barriers to people having this experience is important to Keith, who founded Stand with Trans after her son, Hunter, came out as trans in 2013. With all of the media focus on the political and social negativity around trans issues, she says what they have always aspired to do is offer a more complete vision of what it is to be a transgender person.

“It’s important for us as an organization to be that place for credible information. We can get you educated. We can bring you joy. We can celebrate who you are. That’s our philosophy and our position,” she said. “It’s very important for us to just keep putting out there accurate information to get people educated, to help them to understand, to show that compassion, to show what it means to be trans, to educate people so they can be better allies. It’s important.”

Stand with Trans tent at Motor City Pride. June 9, 2024. Photo by Jon King