By popular demand, a peer-to-peer transgender support group is starting in the Interior. The group welcomes anyone who identifies as male-to-female (MTF), female-to-male (FTM), transgender, genderqueer, intersex, questioning, or otherwise not fully congruent with the sex listed on their original birth certificate.

The first support group meeting, held on January 19, was geared in particular toward FTM people and masculine-oriented women in Fairbanks and Interior Alaska. But discussion after the meeting was announced made it clear that there was a demand and desire for inclusion of people across the full spectrum of transgender and genderqueer experience. As the first meeting’s organizer stated, “There was never any intention of exclusion, only of catering to. The idea of a larger all gender inclusive sounds great,” and group members immediately set about to make it happen.

The other need was for a safe and welcoming meeting space, which organizers found in the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Fairbanks (UUFF). UUFF is a Welcoming Congregation which already provides meeting space for an informal LGBT discussion group the first Sunday of every month from noon to 1:00 PM. Both in Alaska and nationally, the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) has a long history of welcoming LGBT persons and their families in keeping with the seven principles of Unitarian Universalism.

There was a transgender support group in Anchorage which met for several years at the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Anchorage (GLCCA), but at the moment there are no publicly advertised meetings.  There is also an email discussion list called Transgendered in Alaska on Yahoo Groups. After a period of dormancy, list activity has been picking up somewhat in recent weeks.  Bent Alaska is exploring ways to make it easier for transgender Alaskans, their significant others, and allies to meet for support and discussion online. Stay tuned.

And meanwhile, in the words of the organizers of the Fairbanks meeting: “Join us… and maybe help us pick a more catchy name!”

• Date/time: Thursday, February 23, 7:00 PM
• Location: Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Fairbanks (UUFF), 4448 Pikes Landing Road, Fairbanks (see map)
• Further info: see Fairbanks Pride Facebook group