XVII Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association Symposium
31 October - 4 November 2001, Galveston, Texas, U.S.A.

Workshops for the Families of Transsexual People

REED, BERNARD U.K.
Co-author: Bernadette Wren (U.K.)

People affected by gender identity issues need the understanding and support of their families. The other family members usually themselves need help to deal with a situation for which they are unprepared. The paper describes how GIRES, in collaboration with two support organizations, Depend and Mermaids, has designed a workshop that enables these other family members to share their experiences, understand their own situations better and work together on finding ways to cope. It is primarily aimed at the families of people who consider themselves to be transsexual, or who may be so. The leaders of the workshops have various relevant experiences. Three are parents and one is a partner. Two members of the team are themselves trans people, one FtM and the other MtF.

The workshops enable participants to:

• Hear the histories of the individual workshop leaders.
• Share their own experiences with people who are in a similar situation.
• Consider the ways in which other family members, like themselves, usually react when they first learn of their loved one’s gender identity issues.
• Appreciate the matters that their loved one has to deal with in establishing publicly a new expression of his or her gender identity.
• Discuss how other family members can best cope with the change.
• Learn about the support organizations and publications that can help them.

The handouts used are available on the GIRES website (http://www.gires.org.uk) and cover:

1. The effects on other family members
2. What your loved one may be having to deal with
3. Documentation and records to be changed
4. How to cope.

At the end of the workshop, the participants complete evaluation forms that enable them to give their frank opinions on whether their attendance has been worthwhile. The overall evaluation is that the workshops are highly valuable. Typically, participants are relieved to know that they were not the only ones dealing with such a situation and feel a sense of companionship and sharing with the people that they meet in the workshop. They value the opportunity to talk about their own experiences and difficulties in an informal, safe, friendly and supportive setting. They want individual follow-up support of the kind that Depend has been established to provide. Some exchange telephone numbers so that they can stay in touch for mutual support. Gires urges other centres that deal with gender identity issues to establish similar workshops for the families of their primary clients and follow-up support as provided by Depend.