Mutual Aid: Save Christmas for Trans Youth
If you would like to make someone’s day during the holidays, you can become a Secret Santa for a transgender person in need by going to Transanta.com. The Wish Lists have items in a range of prices so you can make selections that accommodate your financial situation.
The Transanta program uses Amazon for purchasing and sending gifts, so you will need to create an Amazon Account if you don’t already have one. As the national “We Ain’t Buying It” boycott ended on Cyber Monday, you needn’t feel like you are breaking the boycott by ordering from Amazon. If you would rather not use Amazon to support trans youth, we have alternative options below.
Background
The Holidays are stressful for everyone, whether you’re a member of the LGBTQ+ community or you identify as cisgender and straight. This is especially true for trans kids and young adults who are discriminated against and demonized simply because they identify as trans.
There are hatemongers who accuse the LGBTQ+ community of “grooming” youth by supporting their identity choices, intentionally conflating supportive parenting with abuse. Trans youth are simply fighting to be their true selves, not being indoctrinated—it’s a cruel lie that erases our community and justifies further cruelties including a host of family traumas.
The Center for American Progress estimates,
There are approximately 1.6 million to 2.8 million homeless young people in the United States, and estimates suggest that disproportionate numbers of those youth are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. These vulnerable gay and transgender youth often run away from home because of family conflict and then face overt discrimination when seeking alternative housing, which is compounded by institutionalized discrimination in federally funded programs.
Not everyone gets forced out of their blood family, but that doesn’t mean all is sunshine and roses. The organization Included Health states:
During the winter months when it’s coldest and darkest, it’s a lot easier to feel more sad, or even depressed and anxious. For queer and trans people especially, we often face more unique circumstances around the holidays. We know that family and traditional gatherings that are meant to be happy can be a difficult topic for queer and trans people.
This is only a partial list of reasons, of course, as everyone’s circumstances differ. The fears they have about their identity and its impact on their life will be unique for everyone. As such, so do their needs, familial and material.
You can get a sense of how each situation differs by reading the descriptions written by Wish List applicants. Many of them state that they are homeless, some living in their car, because of hostilities in the home. You can visit the descriptions of transanta.com wish lists to learn about the unique situations of trans youth in need.
Receiving gifts from anonymous allies who feel genuine empathy for the Wish Lister’s complex feelings will give them a greater sense of community and acceptance.
Detailed instructions
Follow these step-by-step instructions to become a Secret Santa:
Go to the Transanta.com web site.
You will see an introduction to the Secret Santa program followed by some confusing instructions, which we’ve simplified for you here.
Scroll down until you see a bunch of thumbnails. There is a separate thumbnail for each person. On the left side above the first thumbnail you can select the Country from where you would like to view Wish Lists. Select “United States” from the drop down menu (or you may choose to view Wish Lists from any Country you prefer).
On the right side above the thumbnails you can choose to view the list using either the ”Grid” (default) or “Table” option.
What’s the difference between Grid and Table?
Grid Format: This is the default setting and shows the thumbnails starting with the MOST RECENT Wish Lists. Move your mouse over any thumbnail, then click on the “Registry” button located in the center of the thumbnail to view that wish list.
Table Format: This is a great format which shows Wish Lists for folks with the LEAST AMOUNT OF GIFTED ITEMS at the start of the list. This is a good choice because you can order gifts for people who haven’t received any yet. The table shows their post thumbnail (labeled Post) and wish list link (labeled Registry) in separate columns, along with the date they posted their wish list, their country’s flag, and how much they’ve been gifted so far.\
If you click on a thumbnail, you’ll be able to see that recipient’s Instagram post describing why they would like to receive gifts. You will need an Instagram account to see this information. The description may also give you information about their living situation (many are homeless) and their age. You’ll then need to go Back in your browser to the grid/list and then click on the Registry link (labeled “<Name>’s List” in the table view) to get to their wish list. Many of the wish lists include options for gift cards or monetary donations.
When you proceed to a wish list, you will be directed to the Amazon web site (or the Amazon App if you’re on your phone and have it installed). Log into your Amazon account. You will need to give Amazon your billing information (credit card, etc.) in order to send gifts.
Placing Your Amazon Order
Ordering from a wish list is fairly straightforward, but there are a couple things to be aware of.
First, make sure to create a separate order for each recipient. You can’t batch multiple orders for different recipients together.
Second, make sure to choose THEIR shipping address—or else their gift(s) may arrive on YOUR porch!
The items will be charged to your Amazon account using whatever payment method you selected when you placed the order.
Not down with Amazon? We get it. Here are a few alternative options for supporting trans youth:
https://www.sfdress.org/donate/donate-clothing
Donate gender-appropriate clothing for interviews/work.
The next monthly Donation Drive will be held at the Dress for Success office located at 500 Sutter #218 in San Francisco on Wednesday, December 10. Refer to their web site for details on scheduling an appointment (no walk-ins will be accepted) and to see a list of acceptable items to donate.
https://www.pointofpride.org/letter-writing
Write letters to trans kids, to be included in gift baskets
https://flyingoverwalls.org/events/
Write letters to incarcerated trans people.
To donate money to local organizations check out the following:
References:
https://www.americanprogress.org/article/gay-and-transgender-youth-homelessness-by-the-numbers/
https://includedhealth.com/blog/lgbtq/queer-and-trans-holiday-survival-guide/
https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/gay
If you don’t already have an Amazon or Instagram account, and want to create one in order to view recipients’ Instagram posts (optional) or buy stuff for people (required when using an Amazon Wish List), instructions on how to create those accounts can be found here: https://www.solveyourtech.com/amazon-how-to-create-an-account-a-step-by-step-guide/
https://www.facebook.com/help/instagram/155940534568753/1000/