According to international research, 15% of trans people run away from home or are kicked out because of their gender. Those rejected by family are twice as likely to have experienced homelessness (40%) as those who were not rejected (22%).
Trans people are routinely discriminated against in housing.
1 in every 100 New Zealanders lives in severe housing deprivation (1%). Yet for trans people, going by international statistics, the figure is 22 to 40 per 100 (22-40%).
Update: NZ data (Counting Ourselves) is out now – confirming that in NZ, 1 in 4 trans people of colour experience homelessness (around 25%), and 1 in 5 trans people more broadly (around 20%).
We run the national peer to peer trans and rainbow housing network, Rainbow Housing NZ, which assists trans people who may otherwise be homeless into safe and appropriate housing.
Help to end trans homelessness – offer your rental property, spare room in your flat, or other accommodation through transgender housing networks like ours.
Contact us for non-discrimination policy development at your real estate agency, offer special discounts through us on your mobile homes, write to your local MP and tell them to make transgender housing a priority.Even just accepting, talking with, and supporting the young trans people in your family or extended family can make all the difference.
You can click here to join the Rainbow Housing Network, or click here to donate today and help end trans homelessness.
Sources: 2013 Census NZ, US Transgender Survey (25,000 trans people).
March 10th 2018, takataapui, transgender, and intersex people and supporters walked, danced, and rode along in the Wellington International Pride Parade with a clear message: trans health care now!
The float was hosted by Gender Minorities Aotearoa, The Gender Centre, Aunty Dana’s Op Shop, and InsideOUT, with support from NZPC.
Float participants carried a large banner, waved transgender flags, and held placards painted in trans flag colours with slogans such as ”stop non-consensual surgeries on intersex babies”, ”protect trans youths”, ”non-binary not confused”, and ”trans intersex taonga”. One placard posed the question ”40 year wait list?”, another read ”access to health care saves lives”, ”transgender lesbians need HRT too”, ”support sisters, not only cis-ters”.
Behind those walking, Bicycle Junction cycled along playing an upbeat pop play-list compiled by one of the volunteers at Aunty Dana’s Op Shop. Following the music, Aunty Dana’s van ”Pash” carried participants with mobility access needs. A mannequin reclined in a chair on the roof, draped in a huge transgender flag which spread over the sides and back of the van. She wore a trans flag coloured headband and carried a sign that read ”health care for all”.
”Indigenous genders are real” read the final sign in the transgender health care float – strapped to the back of the van.
“The float was FABULOUS and beautiful and fierce and fun! Super amazing. It was such a great combined effort from everyone. From the playlist, to the bike guy, to the van driving, to the snacks! And the face paints! And placard painting! and the folks who coordinated the banner carry! and the waving of that flag in those heels!”
says Gender Minorities Aotearoa’s National Coordinator Ahi Wi-Hongi.
”A huge thank you to Amanduh and the WIPP organisers for all your hard work, to our pals at InsideOUT who we love working with, to NZPC who are strong advocates for trans health, to Jaye, Kerry, Sam, Jess, Ada, Lola, Dan, Dylan, Ella, and everyone who got involved and helped to make this happen. To the beautiful people of all genders who joined the float, and to the folks out there who came to watch and support.
”Nga mihinui ki a koutou katoa, we look forward to appropriate health care in the near future.
Gender Minorities Aotearoa is opening The Gender Centre in Wellington, Transgender Day of Visibility March 31st.
InsideOUT is holding Shift Hui n Wellington, April 20 – 23.
Follow Gender Minorities Aotearoa, The Gender Centre, and InsideOUT on Facebook
Gloria Fraser is conducting amazing and solid research into the experiences of queer and trans people accessing mental health services.
Her research was developed collaboratively with Gender Minorities Aotearoa and consulted on widely across trans community workers, organisations, and other experts. We completely endorse this research, and invite you to come along and hear all about it.
Wednesday 4th October 2017
10am till noon
EA527, fifth floor, Easterfield Building
Victoria University of Wellington, Kelburn Parade, Wellington
See the related post for recruitment of participants by clicking here.
[image: a Text based poster.
Top of the page has the victoria university of wellington te whare wananga o te upoko o te ika a maui logo. Poster reads:
The school of psychology colloquium series 2017. Gloria Fraser. VUW Ph.D. candidate. Will speak on queer and trans experiences of accessing mental health support. date wednesday 4th october 2017, time 10am till noon, venue EA527, fifth floor, Easterfield building.
Although a a substantial body of literature documents the high rates of menta health problems among queer and trans young adults, very few studies examine the experiences of queer and trans new zealanders who access mental health support.
This research aims to extend current understandings in the hope that this will inform training for the culturally responsive care of rainbow community members.
Study 1 will be a qualitative study of the experiences of queer and trans new zealanders who have accessed mental health support.
Subsequent studies will be informed by the results of study 1, and are likely to include a qualtitative study of the needs and preferences of queer and trans new zealanders within mental health support settings, as well as the development of an accessible resource for use by mental health professionals.]
Trans folks and partners we are looking for people to photograph for our upcoming booklets, including our series on relationships! You can wear anything you like and show your face as much or little as you like. If you’re in Wellington we will send a photographer to take your pics and yes! You can have copies. Outside of Wellington sorry we don’t have someone who can come to you yet, but please send us in your photos anyway!
They need to be high resolution, clear, and well lit, unless they are intentionally artistically out of focus, etc.They also must be a photo of yourself and you must have the consent of anyone else in the photo.
Message us on genderminorities@gmail.com to volunteer or send in your pics.
Kia ora e te whanau
Haere mai ki te community social and working bee potluck this Sunday!
Where: Aunty Dana’s Op Shop, 128 Abel Smith street Wellington
When: Sunday 3rd September 11am till 3pm
We will mostly be:
Hanging up clothing
Putting out shoes and other items for sale
Making things look spiffy
Come along and meet some lovely people, share some kai, and join us in getting Aunty Dana’s Op Shop up and running! Your support is welcome and appreciated.
The venue is mobility accessible, smoke-free, child friendly, and has a gender neutral bathroom, so bring along your friends and whanau.
Please share this event and invite others as you please.
[image: a white semi-oval foreground with text in purple-grey. The background is yellow, and has big bright flowers printed on it in. In the oval are the words ”Aunty Dana’s Op Shop, working bee and kai, every second sunday from 11am”
