Local resources
Centre for Sexuality (Calgary) is a community-based organization delivering programs & services to support healthy sexuality across the lifespan. Find out more at www.centreforsexuality.ca
Skipping Stone (Calgary) leads the way in providing affirming care to trans and gender-diverse youth, adults, and families. Visit their website to see a listing of their programs and resources www.skippingstone.ca
Trans Parent Alberta 101 is a compilation of resources for supportive parents, guardians and caregivers of transgender, non-binary and gender-expansive children (minor or adult) in Alberta. You can explore this rich source of information at www.transparentalberta101.com
The Alex serves a community facing complex health challenges, including poverty, trauma, financial and housing instability, food insecurity, and a need for social and community inclusion. More information can be found at www.thealex.ca
Find more information at https://transstudent.org/gender/ or www.genderbread.org
Where to find support
There are organizations specifically geared towards supporting parents and caregivers, such as PFLAG: www.pflagcanada.ca
For transgender-specific crisis intervention, offering direct emotional and financial support to trans people in crisis – for the trans community, by the trans community, you can find your country’s crisis line phone number from Trans Lifeline at their website www.translifeline.org
The Trevor Project is the leading U.S. organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning young people under 25. Find more information here: www.thetrevorproject.org
LGBT Youth Line offers confidential and non-judgemental peer support through our telephone, text and chat services. They also have a well-developed resources section here www.youthline.ca/get-support/links-resources
Where to find general information
As a dynamic media force, GLAAD tackles tough issues to shape the narrative and provoke dialogue that leads to cultural change. You can find resources from their website www.glaad.org
Gender Creative Kids is a reference community organization that has supported trans, non-binary, and gender-fluid youth’s affirmation within their families, schools, and communities. www.gendercreativekids.com
Gender Spectrum works to create gender-sensitive and inclusive environments for all children and teens. They have a section of their website devoted specifically to parents and caregivers here: www.genderspectrum.org/audiences/parents-and-family
If you are looking for how to make changes to identification and legal names changes in Canada, Skipping Stone has a fulsome document here: www.skippingstone.ca/idamendments
If you are looking resources and support going into post-secondary education, this guide provides some useful information.
Where to find healthcare information
The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) is a non-profit, interdisciplinary professional and educational organization devoted to transgender health and publishes the Standards of Care and Ethical Guidelines on their website. www.wpath.org
University of California San Francisco (UCSF) offers guidelines for the primary and gender-affirming care of Transgender and gender nonbinary people. The UCSF Gender Affirming Health Program is a multidisciplinary program consisting of experts in transgender medicine and surgery at UCSF Medical Center. For more information on their guidelines visit: www.transcare.ucsf.edu/guidelines
Trans Youth CAN! is a study of youth referred for blockers or hormones at ten clinics in Canada. They are studying the health experiences of trans youth during the first two years on puberty blockers or hormones and post their updated findings regularly at www.transyouthcan.ca
Miscellaneous downloadable resources
Elevated rates of autism, other neurodevelopmental and psychiatric diagnoses, and autistic traits in transgender and gender-diverse individuals by Varun Warrier et al. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-17794-1.pdf
Autistic Self-Advocacy Network, National Center for Transgender Equality and National LGBTQ Task Force joint statement on the rights of Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Autistic people https://autisticadvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/joint_statement_trans_autistic_GNC_people.pdf
Just Listen: Affirming Strategies for Supporting Gifted Transgender Youth By Paul J. “PJ” Sedillo, Ph.D., Rebecca Niederlander, and Orion http://www.nagc.org/sites/default/files/Publication%20PHP/bonuscontent/Transgender%20and%20Gifted%206-21.pdf
Trans Inclusion Schools Toolkit Supporting trans, non-binary and gender questioning children and young people in Brighton & Hove educational settings https://mermaidsuk.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/AllsortsYouthProject-Trans-Inclusion-Schools-Toolkit-Sept-18.pdf
National Center for Transgender Equality Fact Sheet on U.S. Department of Education Policy Letter on Transgender Students https://transequality.org/sites/default/files/ED-DCL-Fact-Sheet.pdf
Families in Transition: A resources guide for families of Transgender youth by Central Toronto Youth Services (CTYS) https://ctys.org/wp-content/uploads/CTYS-FIT-Guide-2020-English-1.pdf
Where to buy gender-affirming gear
Here are a few reputable companies that sell chest binders in various sizes and styles: www.gc2b.co and www.underworks.com
You can find form-fitting clothing for transgender girls at the Rubies website here: www.rubyshines.com And by searching LeoLines on Etsy.
Learn all about gaffs which is a form of underwear used for tucking from Gender Gear here: https://www.gendergear.ca/pages/all-about-gaffs
Books for children
I am Jazz by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings
It Feels Good to Be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity by Theresa Thorn
Jacob’s New Dress by Sarah and Ian Hoffman
Julián Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love
My Princess Boy by Cheryl Kilodavis
Red: A Crayon’s Story by Michael Hall
The Boy & the Bindi by Vivek Shraya
They, She, He easy as ABC by Maya and Matthew Smith-Gonzalez
Books for teens and young adults
Before I Had the Words: On Being a Transgender Young Adult by Skylar Kergil
Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out by Susan Kuklin
George by Alex Gino
Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky
Some Assembly Required: The Not-So-Secret Life of a Transgender Teen by Arin Andrews
Sorted: Growing Up, Coming Out, and Finding My Place (A Transgender Memoir) by Jackson Bird
Books for parents of transgender kids
I Promised Not to Tell: Raising a transgender child by Cheryl B. Evans
Love Lives Here by Amanda Jette Knox
Raising Ryland: Our Story of Parenting a Transgender Child with No Strings Attached by Hillary Whittington
Soar Adam Soar by Rick Prashaw
Straight Expectations: The Story of a Family in Transition by Peggy Cryden
The Bold World: A Memoir of Family and Transformation by Jodie Patterson
The Unfinished Dollhouse: A Memoir of Gender and Identity by Michelle Alfano
Uncommon Girls by Carla Grant
What We Will Become: A Mother, a Son, and a Journey of Transformation by Mimi Lemay
Advocacy resources
Human Rights Campaign advocates for equality on many levels, has a robust resources section and if you live in the United States, you can narrow down to information in your state. www.hrc.org
Global Action for Trans Equality (GATE) campaigns globally for Trans, gender-diverse, and Intersex equality. You can find more information at www.gate.ngo