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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 5, 2003)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ december S. 2003 • J u s t M t 15 UTn^TTwi^unews s queer advocacy matures, people- are coming to realize that, unit ed, they can exercise more power. But sometimes well- meaning social service organiza tions inadvertently do things that show their lack of consideration for trans people, making these clients feel unwelcome. Reid Vanderburgh, a female-to-male holistic psychotherapist, explains. ‘‘Trans people have a hyper-vigilance, in terms of social service agen cies, to very little things that most people don’t think about— like the intake form has ‘male’ or ‘female’ without any other choices, the kinds of things that show they don’t get it.” In order to start the hall rolling toward acknowledging and addressing the unique needs of the trans community, he teamed up with Andrew Forshce, a gay instnictor at Clark Com munity College and doctoral student at Walden University’s Schixil of Health ¿>1 Human Services, to write an academic paper about trans youth. Like Vanderburgh, Forshee is concerned a Knit the lack of services for trans youth, believ ing strongly that more funding is needed to study them and to serve their needs. “Funding for G LB programs is limited. And so if we have limited funding for G LB, there’s even less for trans. People perceive it as less important, or they don’t have enough information.” The pair presented the paper, titled “De- pathologizing Transgender Youth Identity: The Identity Project,” at the American Public Health A ssociation’s national conference, which was held from Nov. 15 to 19 in San Fran cisco. The group is the oldest and largest of its kind, with membership in 50 different public health occupations. S tarting the B all R olling Presenting a new way of thinking about trans identity by M ichael B u rdick quently mark more than one box, invalidating their surveys. It is hard to learn anything about trans people from research that fails to even identify who is trans. The paper starts out by trying to clear up the confusion between gender identity and sexual orientation, according to Forshee. “We haven’t had the dialogues about the difference between sexual orientation and gender identity. Not do just that. The nearly 2-year-old program was extensively yet. For example, after we presented started with a donation from longtime trans the paper, I had a woman come up to me and say, activist Lori Buckwalter, money that was ‘Thank you for breaking down sexual orientation I matched by Michael Powell of Powell’s Btxiks. and gender identity; I always thought they were The Identity Project has helped more than the same thing.’ The concept was made really three dozen young people since it began. Vander much more solid for her, and then she could burgh has been with the program from the begin advocate on behalf of traas people. We’re just ning, while Forshee got involved about a year ago. now beginning to have the dialogue about that.” Part of the unique vision of the Identity Proj The paper goes on to addresses another huge ect is to focus on validating trans people’s iden problem with the health literature. “The data that tity. Thinking about identity is especially impor is out there really kx>ks at trans youth through a tant for programs that try to help trans youth, pathological lens," Forshee says. Trans people arc- according to Forshee. "Adolescence is a time of seen from a perspective of disease and diagnosis. role confusion— what’s my role in the context of In their paper, Forshee and Vanderburgh this society.r anderburgh and Forshee began their col devote a lot of effort to showing the health com One way the program affirms the identity of laboration after a few stimulating conversa munity a new, more practical way to kxik at trans youth is by helping them get their names tions with one another. Through his studies, trans people. They show how trans identity fits legally changed, an option open to all Oregoni Forshee had noticed a hole in the health litera within well-established ways of thinking about ans older than 18. The program also helps trans ture when it comes to normal identity devel youth change their drivers license or state ID trans people. And the opment of healthy kids. card to reflect their gender identity accurately, "You don't have to look few studies that do “We relate gender which requires the approval of a state- at gender identity as a mention trans people identity to existing I sanctioned therapist. frequently have little to identity research. You These are, of course, completely reversible pro pathological thing. offer. “A lot of the don’t have to Kxik at cedures involving no risk, but they help trans research 1 began to look gender identity as a youth feel more at home in their community. You're in the realm at, they were surveying “First we have to say this is OK, this is healthy, this pathological thing. o f human development LGBT people hut were You’re in the realm of is a person unto themselves,” Forshee explains. really focusing on sexu human development Part of the success of the Identity Project rather than psychopathology. al orientation,” he says. rather than psy might also arise from the fact that some of the — Reid Vanderburgh chopathology,’’ Vander volunteers are themselves trans. Forshce Confusing gender identity and sexual ori burgh explains. believes this gives trans youth access to healthy entation is commonplace, even among acade Moving from theoretical to practical, the | role iruxJels. “Lori and Reid arc such great mtxJ- mics and researchers. Survey researchers often authors use existing identity research to make a els for trans youth; they’re so visible and active ask people to check a box for gay, lesbian, hi or case for the importance of doing things that ly interested in this project.” trans. Since people can identify as gay (or les affirm the identity of trans youth. They tell the Besides having a solid basis in human devel bian or hi) in addition to being trans, they fre- story of the Identity Project, which attempts to opment theory, there is gcxxJ reason to think the Identity Project’s methcxls are having positive- effects on trans youth. “The people that art- coming in to see me, they’ve been referred by people that have already gone to the project,” Vanderburgh says. ‘‘T hat’s significant because it tells us we’re doing something right." The paper’s authors hope to educate s<x:ial service agencies about the importance of affirm ing the identity of trans youth and perhaps engage more donors to the Identity Project. Additionally, they hope to encourage better research about trans people, which will con tribute to a better public understanding of trans issues and provide additional knowledge to help stxrial service agencies do a better job of serving the community. The fundamental aim is to reduce potential harm to what is believed to be a population at high risk for problems from low self-esteem to drug abuse to suicide. From the response of the approximately 125 people who attended Forshee and Vanderburgh’s presentation, chances hx>k gixxl that their work will have a positive impact. “ It was wonderful. Our printed materials went like hot cakes. We were very well-received in San Francisco,” says Ann Hinds, who manages Outside Ins risk edu cation department, which is responsible for the Identity Project. "The public health conference is a hig deal...it’s a wonderful avenue, and it’s gtxxl recognition for our program and our agency." Forshee and Vanderburgh plan to submit their paper for publication in several academic journals that cover health issues to gamer an even wider audience for their work. in M ichael B urdick is a recent graduate of Reed College. He can be reached at rrukd&rubhLciim.com. Drive with Pride M h S S ADVENTURES CROWN, / it M e m o r ia l CF*nn» • C r e m a t io n » B u r ia l m w o m m m 9 rrtCMt r o emniottg Visit us online at: www.reyreece.com or schedule your appointment \7 'S te w ( Adventure Club for Women Activities Include: Hiking. Biking . Kayaking. Volley’hall. 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