FORGE Collects Survey of T Involvement in the LGBT Community

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Release Date: July 26, 2006
Contact: Michael Munson

http://www.forge-forward.org/surveys

What percentage of transgender individuals and SOFFAs (Significant Others, Friends, Family and Allies) want to be involved in “LGBT” organizations? What is their experience when they do attend LGBT organizations? What do LGBT organizations say is their experience in welcoming or including transgender individuals and issues?

Those are some of the questions being asked in two related surveys currently being conducted by FORGE, a Milwaukee-based, national organization focused on educating and empowering the trans/SOFFA communities.

The surveys can be found online at www.forge-forward.org/surveys

Responses will be accepted through September 20, 2006.

Throughout the U.S., most multigender “gay” organizations describe themselves as serving the “LGBT” (lesbian, gay male, bisexual and transgender) community. Despite that descriptor, many transgender individuals don’t feel welcome or included at “LGBT” events, and some lesbians and gay men aren’t sure they should be there, either. In many cases, organizations believe they are inclusive of trans people and issues, but trans people who have attended have spread the word that that isn’t really the case in practice. This ambiguity creates stress and distrust among those who could potentially be political allies, social peers, and coworkers.

The surveys are designed to begin assessing how well LGBT groups have incorporated transgender individuals and issues into their organizations and set the stage for improving intra-community LGBT relationships. One survey asks transgender individuals and SOFFAs to share their positive and negative experiences with local LGBT groups and businesses. This survey also asks basic demographic questions and assesses the respondent’s interest in being involved with “LGBT” organizations.

All transgender persons and SOFFAs of every sexual orientation – whether they participate in “LGBT” organizations or not – are encouraged to respond.

The second survey can be filled out by anyone who regularly attends an “LGBT” organization. (Those who attend more than one organization are asked to respond for the one they know best or fill out separate surveys for each organization.) The organization survey asks about the types of meetings or events the organization sponsors, whether it has a policy about transgender inclusion, and its experiences with transgender members or attendees. This survey also solicits information on the knowledge gaps, training or technical assistance needs the organization has vis-à-vis transgender issues.

In addition to the online versions, printed surveys are available upon request (contact FORGE at PO Box 1272, Milwaukee, WI 53201 or or 414-559-2123). Please specify which survey version/s you want, and, if you are soliciting other respondents, how many survey copies you need.

Everyone completing a survey has a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to a Milwaukee-based business of their choice. (If you belong to more than one organization and complete the survey for more than one group, you increase your chances of winning!). Organizations can also win – if at least five surveys mention your group or business, you’ll be entered into a drawing for a $100 donation!

The survey responses will be analyzed and reported in two stages. Southeastern Wisconsin responses will be discussed at a community Town Hall at the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center on November 30, 2006. This Town Hall will also highlight local best practices in trans inclusion, and foster dialogue between community members and organizations. Responses from the rest of the country will be analyzed and reported in 2007.

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Helpful or harmful?

#31 On Tue, 07/25/2006 3:38pm think aloud said,

Since I heard about this survey earlier today, I have been trying to decide what the possible impacts of a study like this could be on the trans community. While I can foresee very positive impacts such as increased visibility of problem spots in the larger queer community and fostering discussion between trans and non-trans members of the queer community, I am much more afraid of the negative impacts of the data this survey may produce.

The spin possibilities include the LGB community discovering how few trans people actually feel comfortable in the queer community and using that to further distance the communities from each other. Furthermore, I can see the queer community using this information to legitimate ceasing to offer trans-educational, trans-inclusive, and trans-focused programming. In places where there are large trans populations, this may not be a huge problem, but in Indiana, it is my belief that the trans community needs allies as much as it needs to participate in trans-only activities. A community this small cannot be left to fend for itself.

While the goals of the LGB and trans populations are often divergent to the point of immiscible, well-educated allies are worth their weight in gold. And I don’t mean SOFFAs. SOFFAs, in my view, are part of the community. What we need are unconnected allies with enough education to speak eloquently on trans issues and to know the right answers when the tough questions come up. It has been my experience that the LGB community is ripe with individuals ready to learn but as yet unlearned.

Thus I have conflicting feelings about filling out this survey because I know what kinds of experiences I have had in queer spaces, and honestly they have been much more negative than I’d like to admit in public. I feel that it is very important, both as a person who has experienced these situations and as a human subjects researcher myself, to share my stories and increase the amount of data available. In the end, do I want to tell the world about my painful and distancing experiences with the LGB community, or do I want to send out a plea for solidarity, for allies?

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