Discover Your City
For some, the coronavirus pandemic has been a never-ending vacation built upon the comforts of home. But for victims of domestic abuse and intimate partner violence (IPV), the quarantine has been stressful – and incredibly dangerous.
“‘Shelter-at-home’ may be a safe haven for some, but for others, it’s a waking nightmare,” says Ruth Darlene, founder and executive director of WomenSV. She created the organization to help people who face domestic abuse in middle-to-upper income areas. “Many victims are trapped at home day in and day out with their abuser, and are increasingly desperate as a result.”
Amy Durrance, director of systems change initiatives at FreeFrom, shares the results of a recent survey, asking FreeFrom’s grantees how COVID-19 has impacted them. “Survivors identified four key effects: 1) escalating violence; 2) fewer financial resources, making it harder to get and stay safe; 3) theft of stimulus checks and other COVID-19-related assistance; and 4) slowed court proceedings, keeping survivors in contact with harm-doers and delaying potential income like child support.”
It’s a new spin on an old issue, but it has made leaving an abusive environment that much harder. “In our current reality of increased isolation due to COVID-19, abuse is thriving,” cautions Durrance.
“In the hands of an abuser, anything can be weaponized – even the pandemic,” warns Darlene.
However, COVID 19 doesn’t have to be the reason you stay in a harmful situation. We spoke to the experts to find the best way to survive domestic violence during the pandemic. This is what we found.
Recognizing abuse
The first step is to recognize abuse within your relationship. It can be easy to see domestic violence in the media or in other relationships and think, “That will never happen to me,” but it doesn’t just happen overnight. Nor is it always the physical sort of abuse that often comes to mind.
Domestic abusers are patient and sly, slowly revealing parts of themselves over time until suddenly, you have no idea how this controlling person has come to share your bed.
“If you aren’t sure whether you’re in a healthy relationship, ask yourself how you feel after spending time with your partner,” says Darlene. “If they put you down, erupt with anger, start arguments, and place blame for everything on your shoulders, you may be a victim of covert abuse.”
“An absence of broken bones or bruises doesn’t mean severe emotional wounds resulting from covert abuse aren’t lying underneath the surface,” she adds.
Types of abuse and how the pandemic increased vulnerability
There are many different forms of domestic abuse, and while they are all part of a set of behaviors known as domestic violence indicators, they do not always look the same.
“Victims of covert abuse may experience legal abuse, emotional abuse, financial control, or the use of technology as a means to stalk, monitor, and terrorize,” explains Darlene. “These behaviors leave victims feeling paranoid and beaten down.”
Emotional and psychological abuse
Kelli Dillon, founder and executive director of Back to the Basics, warns that IPV and domestic violence doesn’t always look the same. “Some abusers may say something humiliating in a crowd. Another may throw just a look that tells the victim to ‘get in line’ in one way or another. Because the specific actions can vary so much, the victim’s hypersensitivity [in felt sensation and emotional tenor] can actually be one of the clearest indicators of emotional abuse.”
Verbal abuse
An abuser doesn’t have to hurt you physically in order to leave pain. Verbal abusers use words to humiliate, frighten, demean, or control another.
“Covert abuse takes many forms, explains Darlene. “It may look like micromanagement of basic everyday activities like cooking, criticism of your appearance, undermining your relationship with your children, or scrutiny of everything you do or say, resulting in blame and punishment.”
Physical and sexual abuse
Physical abuse involves the deliberate harming of another person. This can include anything from hitting to slapping, choking, punching, and shoving. The inappropriate use of drugs or physical restraints are also forms of physical abuse.
Sexual abuse is a separate form of abuse that involves unwanted sexual actions, which include touching, coerced nudity or sexually explicit media, in addition to rape and sodomy.
During the pandemic, Darlene has recently observed a new form of abuse. “At WomenSV, victims have reported their partners refusing to follow sanitation protocols,” she reports. “This is especially frightening to those with underlying health conditions.” She says WomenSV is also hearing about room-to-room stalking, which prevents the victims’ ability to have a moment alone to seek assistance.
Financial or economic abuse
Coronavirus has brought a significant increase in financial and economic abuse. Darlene says abusers may spend stimulus checks on themselves instead of on the family, or prevent their partners from going to work, thereby putting the victim’s job (and thus independence) in danger.
Durrance breaks down the reality of financial abuse in numbers. “For instance, harm-doers steal an average of $1,280 from survivors each month, incur an average of $15,936 in coerced and fraudulent debt each year, and cause survivors to lose an average of $23,076 of income annually.”
Technological abuse
With the rise of the Digital Age, so comes an increase in a new form of abuse that harnesses technology and uses it as a weapon against one’s partner.
“Young adults who are confined with abusive partners and those reliant on technology for communication are experiencing higher rates of controlling behavior, threats, and assault during the pandemic,” says Stephanie Nilva, attorney and Executive Director and Founder for Day One, an organization dedicated to domestic violence prevention with direct legal and counseling services for young people ages 24 and under.
It is a population that Nilva says “experiences more intimate partner violence than any other age group.” Just last week, her team released a short video about isolation and DV. And with social media as one of the COVID-safe methods of socialization, technological abuse may be even more isolating than it was before the coronavirus spread.
Spiritual abuse
Accusations of sex abuse within the Catholic Church revealed a new kind of abuse called spiritual abuse. This can involve a member of your religious organization, such as an elder or leader of your church. However, it can happen at home, too.
Domestic violence can include the persecution, interference or prevention of practicing one’s faith. This could mean that your partner ridicules, insults or manipulates your religious beliefs or abusers can prevent you from practicing your faith altogether.
Relationship red flags
Domestic violence confuses and muddles normal love, making it difficult to identify unhealthy behaviors. Sometimes, your emotions are all you need to identify an unhealthy relationship.
“A healthy relationship means sharing power, treating each other like equals, acting with integrity. It means trust. Safety – feeling emotionally and physically safe with a partner – perhaps angry sometimes, but never afraid,” says Darlene.
That’s not the case with Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). Kandee Lewis, executive director of Positive Results Corporation, walks us through some of the feelings associated with emotional abuse.
Barriers to leaving an abusive relationship
Many ask why victims of domestic violence and IPV don’t just leave the relationship. It’s not so simple. Here are some of the common barriers that prevent some victims from leaving abusive relationships.
Financial dependence
“Economic abuse –which is any tactic employed by harm-doers to control survivors by controlling their finances – means survivors often have no money, no job, no income, no assets, damaged credit, and no support system,” explains Durrance.
“The financial devastation wrought by intimate partner violence is trapping survivors in abuse,” she continues. “The #1 obstacle to survivors’ safety is financial insecurity. In fact, 73% of survivors report that they stayed in abuse because they simply couldn’t afford to leave or stay safe.”
Job loss from the COVID-19 pandemic compounds this issue.
Impact on children
For some who feel trapped in a domestic violence situation, their concern is for their children. Custody is far from guaranteed, and it’s a popular threat that abusers leverage over their partners to make them stay and propagate the abuse.
Says Darlene of the common threats her respondents have cited, “Barriers include his threats to destroy her, take the children, the house, their/her life savings, ruin her career, hunt her down and kill her.”
It’s more than enough to make some partners stay.
Lack of resources
Legal recourse doesn’t feel like a viable option in a pandemic, especially when many local courts – who decide things like custody, divorce, and restraining orders – are reliant on in-person court sessions and meetings with lawyers.
“COVID-19 has crippled the legal system,” says Brian D. Joslyn, Family Law Attorney of Joslyn Law Firm in Columbus, Ohio, citing the aggressive backlog of cases. “A sector that will feel the brunt of these backlogged cases the most will be those seeking to legally separate or divorce from their partner,” says Joslyn. “I’m worried the most for those parties that are also victims of domestic violence.”
Nilva describes some of the victims and survivors at Day One. “When they experience harm, they have little access to social services and may believe all assistance is closed off to them. Abusive partners may also reinforce this fear by using the pandemic risk, telling a partner, ‘You’ll get sick if you go out’ or threatening to place them at greater risk.”
Immigration status
Some IPV victims may be dependent on their abuser for purposes related to immigration status. Perhaps they rely on their partner as their primary translator, or they don’t have a valid driver’s license or other important documents the U.S. government requires. The victim may also be reliant on a dependent visa, meaning they’d have to leave the U.S. if they divorced their abusive spouse.
Societal ties
Some abusers will try to use your relationships against you or try to cut you off from them completely. “Isolation is a tactic of abusive partners; preventing or discouraging a partner from accessing outside support builds greater dependence on the abuser, increasing their control,” Nilva explains. “When people are not leaving home for work and school, and are indoors more frequently, they have less interaction with other trusted family, friends, or professionals.”
Lack of privacy
Joslyn is seeing a new problem affecting the court system, especially where victims are concerned. “How is the victim supposed to meet with a family law attorney to seek their representation when most law firms are only doing consults via Zoom due to social distancing?” he asks. “It’s not like they can have a candid conversation from the family living room when the abuser is in the other room.”
Darlene agrees. “Many are now under constant surveillance, limiting their ability to plan an escape or make calls to therapists, attorneys, or domestic violence agencies,” she says. “It’s increasingly difficult for victims of intimate partner violence and abuse to leave their relationships due to the pandemic.”
Love
At the end of the day, it’s love that brings couples together, and sometimes that’s the reason victims stay.
“Consider no matter how badly parents treat their children, the child will do all they can to try to make their parent(s) love them,” Lewis points out. “This leads us to believe we do not deserve to be loved, that everyone comes to a relationship with pain and will put that pain on us. We look inward to determine ‘What can I do better?’ or’ What did I do wrong?’ or ‘How can I make [that person] love me (more or again)’.’”
Sadly, with an abuser, that day will never come, and it’s the reason why so many victims finally find the courage to leave.
Preparing to leave your abuser
“With so many of us working-at-home or having reduced hours, many victims are being exposed to their abusers more than ever,” Joslyn says. “Actions and steps, such as finding new permanent or temporary housing, getting new or low-cost transportation, establishing new bank accounts, even getting a new cell phone away from the abuser’s family plan can be nearly impossible when you’re required to remain in close proximity to the abuser.”
Leaving your abuser definitely takes some planning, but it can be done with these key tips from our domestic violence experts.
Safety and departure
Set aside money
“If a survivor decides that leaving is the best and safest option for them, making a financial safety plan is a great way to prepare,” advises Tannia Ventura of FreeFrom. “Financial safety plans are as unique as the survivors who use them – survivors know best how to keep themselves and their families safe.”
Safe ways to set aside money include asking someone you trust to hold onto some cash for you. If you have the freedom and means to open a bank account at another bank your abuser doesn’t use, do so.
Prepare an emergency bag
“Discreetly fill a go-bag with cash, clothes, medications, important documents, masks, and gloves,” advises Darlene. Other things to include in a go-bag include:
- Spares of car and house keys
- Snacks
- Toys for your kids
- A list of important phone numbers (if not already saved in your prepaid phone)
- Charger for your prepaid phone
- Portable charger
Come up with a code word
“Let a family member, close friend, or social worker know your plans to leave and where you’re headed,” says Darlene. A code word can help you safely communicate plans without fear of being overheard.
Secure important documents
“Put your IDs, passports, social security card, Green Card, (etc.) in a safe place,” urges Ventura. “If you can’t take physical control of these documents, try taking pictures of them when you feel safe doing so. Keep the images in Dropbox or a Google Drive that only you have access to.” You can also try using a scanner app on your prepaid phone
Change communications
Some local domestic violence shelters run programs where they’ll give you a new phone to use, or you can always buy a prepaid phone at most gas stations or retailers. Short of that, try changing your phone number and creating a new email.
“Creating a new email that only you have access to can be helpful in securing your finances,” says Ventura. “Many survivors use Protonmail because it is encrypted and adds extra security to emails. Change passwords, addresses and emails if it is safe to do so. Get a P.O. Box or ask a trusted friend or relative if you can use their address so that you have a safe place to send mail.”
Ventura recommends that before you change anything, check which email and phone number are listed in the account. Whoever is listed as the recovery email or phone number will be notified. “If someone who is causing you harm is listed as the recovery, get on the phone with the company,” she advises. “Let them know that you are experiencing intimate partner violence by the person listed on the recovery account and ask if you can change your information without notifying them.”
Research in advance
“We suggest you start quietly building your village with trusted friends, allies and professionals,” says Darlene, suggesting “a good therapist who understands coercive control, an attorney secretly retained, a support group to validate and encourage you and share valuable information and resources.”
If you know where you’re going to go, research what certain staples cost in the area so you can have enough cash squirreled away.
Plan your escape
“Put the pieces in place to maximize your chances of escaping successfully, all while keeping your cards close to your chest. The less [your abuser] knows about your plans, the safer you will be.”
Disable location services on all devices
“Sophisticated abusers hack into their partner’s phone and laptop, spying on their every move. Some may even install stalkerware,” Darlene adds. Go the extra step and install encrypted messaging services – and bury them within your app menu.
Have local law enforcement or resource center assist
If you feel your safety is at risk in leaving, talk to your local law enforcement or area resources to see how they can help you safely leave your abuse.
Take care of yourself.
“Leaving your abuser begins with mental preparation and self-care – shoring up your inner reserves for the battle that lies ahead because an abuser will not let go easily,” warns Darlene. “Abusers tend to confuse love with ownership and possession, and they become dangerous when they feel they are losing control of you.”
Support services to help you leave
“It’s best to reach out to a domestic violence agency who understands the process of leaving an abuser, since it is so different from leaving a regular relationship,” says Darlene. “It is dangerous, and the court system can be an unfriendly place.”
Nilva urges victims to seek help. “It’s important for people to know that services are available, shelters are open, and the courts are operating (even if virtually),” she says.
These are some of the organizations that can help.
Financial independence and support
Paid leave
Per the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), you are entitled to time off from work in order to address domestic violence in your home. This may be paid or unpaid, depending on your state laws.
Food assistance programs
As a victim of domestic violence, you and your children are eligible for food stamps and do not have to show a permanent address to qualify.
Federal and state assistance programs
In accordance with the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act, each state and area within the U.S. has a State Domestic Violence Coalition. There are also programs available to help finance your move and offer victims compensation.
Unemployment resources
Some victims may be able to benefit from unemployment insurance benefits through your state’s Employment Development Department (EDD) agency.
Continued education resources
The National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma and Mental Health is an excellent resource for domestic violence and IPV.
Immigration support and visas for victims
Homeland Security offers immigration assistance to non-U.S. citizens who are victims of domestic violence.
VAWA self-petition
Under the federal Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), victims of domestic abuse may be eligible for a Green Card if you are “the victim of battery or extreme cruelty.”
U Visa
U Nonimmigrant status is for certain victims of mental or physical abuse that are helpful to or involved in an active case.
T Visa
The T Visa is a special visa that allows victims of a “severe form of human trafficking” to remain in the country for up to four years when contributing to an active case.
Food benefits
Even if you are undocumented, your child is eligible for food stamps if a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident.
Secure housing
If you a quick Google search (in a private tab on a public computer or your prepaid phone) doesn’t turn up the contact information for your local resources, Darlene advises that those seeking help call 211 or 311 and ask to be transferred to their local shelter.
In addition to rental apps and websites, these are some options to find a safe place to stay.
- Find a local shelter in your state.
- Women’s Shelters can not only help you find a shelter but also transitional housing.
- Section 8 or Low Income Housing may be an option under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), giving you access to subsidized housing.
Once you settle into a new home, look into renters Insurance as a way to protect your belongings going forward.
Protecting yourself after leaving
For some, the struggle doesn’t end after getting out.
“Most domestic violence incidents happen AFTER the survivor leaves, and the danger level spikes for two years after leaving an abuser,” says Darlene.
Get a domestic violence protective order
“Consider getting a protection order and if you do, keep a copy on you at all times,” recommends Darlene. “Don’t share your whereabouts or new address in order to minimize any chance of your abuser finding you. Safe at Home, a program through the Secretary of State, can help to keep your physical address confidential.”
The Resource Center on Domestic Violence: Child Protection and Custody can help with custody-related fears and issues.
Tech safety
“Survivors should look for any unusual activity on their devices and use encrypted communication tools to safely escape from an abusive partner,” Darlene suggests. “Replace your laptop and phone, and secure your accounts, changing passwords and PIN numbers.”
Finances
“If changing your account information isn’t safe, start an online bank account,” advises Ventura. “Make sure to select the paperless option so that no bank statements are mailed to your address.” And make sure the email your online bank has on file is the email your abuser is unaware of.
Notify your workplace
Domestic violence affects you in the workplace, too, impacting your ability to continue or resume work. Be sure to let your employers know what is going on so they can provide you with the necessary help and support.
Darlene adds, “Once you’ve left, keep in touch with people you trust. It’s important for them to know you’re safe and continue to support you.”
The bottom line
These groups work so hard to provide a way out to those who feel trapped, forgotten, and lost within the downward spiral of domestic violence and intimate partner violence.
Darlene urges you to keep your strength and summon your courage. She acknowledges the challenges ahead but insists, “It can be done!”
“There is light and life on the other side,” she says. “Remember, you deserve to live in peace and safety and freedom in your own home – and so do your children.”
Disclaimer: This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice. Always seek the advice of qualified resource providers with any questions you may have.
This article was first published on MyMove.com.
Top 5 Mental Health Apps for the LGBTQ+ Community
Mental health apps for the LGBTQ+ Community
It's been quite a year and we're only halfway through 2022. The pandemic is still ongoing, LGBTQ+ rights are under threat, money struggles are prevalent, and that’s just to name a few issues. In the midst of all this, it’s hard not to feel anxious. Understand that your feelings are valid and so we put together this handy guide for mental health apps.
Dr. Jack Turban, MD, MHS, a child and adolescent psychiatry fellow at Stanford University School of Medicine researches the mental health of transgender youth. He explains that during the pandemic the mental health of LGBTQ+ youth has been declining. He says, “For instance, the Trevor Project crisis line for LGBTQ+ youth has seen a surge in volume.”
If you’re struggling, know that you aren’t alone. Seeking help may be a difficult step to take, but it’s a necessary one. Luckily, there are a lot of resources out there that can help you find support and affirmation.
How Can Mental Health Apps Help?
Mental health apps are a low-cost, accessible way to receive instant help for your struggles. While they aren’t a replacement for professional care, they have various functions to promote mental wellness, such as sleep reminders, calming music, and even mood trackers. Some apps also have teletherapy services, where you can communicate with a licensed specialist to get started with treatment.
“One of the most important parts, and beautiful parts when used correctly, is that digital mental health tools and the internet in general, create a space for connections. [Mental health apps] are beneficial because they can help remove some of the possible barriers LGBTQ+ individuals deal with in less accepting environments. Hopefully, they can access such tools without someone standing in their way or being gatekeepers that bar their path to better health”, says Dr. Chase Anderson, MD, MS, a child psychiatry fellow at the University of California San Francisco.
Five Mental Health Apps
Mental Health Apps
Below is a list of five mental health apps that can help to make your life a little easier.
1. Ayana Therapy
Ayana is an app that helps people from marginalized communities find a therapist they can identify with based on their unique experiences and identities across race, gender identity, class, sexuality, ethnicity, and ability. This on-demand app allows for flexible communication across convenient platforms (text, phone, and video call) to get in touch with your LGBTQ+ therapist whenever you need to.
Ayana Therapy
2. Pride Counseling
This is an online counseling program for the LGBTQ+ community, led by specialized mental health professionals. Through the app, you can conveniently get in touch with a licensed specialist through live chat in addition to booking weekly scheduled appointments. Pride Counseling also offers need-based financial aid to make counseling affordable.
Pride Counseling on iOS Pride Counseling on Google Play
3. Sowlmate
Sowlmate is an LGBTQ+-focused self-care app with a wide library of interactive courses and meditation sounds designed by LGBTQ+ professionals. A key feature of this app is the AI-based mood tracker, where the data is used to showcase content tailored to your individual needs. New programs are released every week on the platform.
Sowlmate on iOS Sowlmate on Google Play
4. Trill Project
This is an anonymous, social network where you can freely express yourself. Through the app, you can share your deepest, unfiltered thoughts and build authentic conversations with other members of the LGBTQ+ community. There is also tons of content focused on LGBTQ+ issues and mental health for users to discover and share.
Trill Project on iOS Trill Project on Google Play
5. Wisdo
Wisdo is a peer-to-peer support platform to connect with people who’ve walked your path and share your own helpful advice. In the app, there are live sessions from mentors and virtual communities focused on discussing LGBTQ+ issues. You can also easily have private conversations with people you guide or learn from.
Wisdo on iOS Wisdo on Google Play
Crisis Help
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741, or visit www.SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources.com for additional resources.
If you are an LGBTQ+ young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgment-free place to talk, call the Trevor Lifeline immediately at 1-866-488-7386.
Community resources for the Trans Community in Kansas City
If you are ever in need, please use one of these national resources for the trans community. Most resources are not just for the transgender community and can help any LGBTQ+ person in need. If we don't have your location listed, you can ask the national organizations to help you search for locations close to your home.
National Suicide Hotlines
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Provides free, confidential, 24/7 support for people in distress
National Suicide Prevention Chat: Available to the U.S and U.S territories for free, online support
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 for free 24/7 support
The Trevor Project: Provides free calling, texting, and counseling to LGBT+ community members at 1-866-488-7386 or Text START to 678-678
BeFrienders Worldwide: This gives access to suicide prevention lines and chats all over the world, just select your country and it will direct you toward the correct correspondence
Find a local Helpline: Which gives access to suicide prevention lines and chats all over the world
THRIVE: LGBT+ chat line that gives support 24/7/365, just text THRIVE to +1.313.662.8209 from anywhere
Trans Lifeline: Available in the US- at 1-877-565-8860 and in Canada- at 1-877-330-6366 both are 24/7, confidential, and free
LGBT National Help Center: This provides all of the following amazing resources!
Toll-Free National Hotline
1-888-843-4564
Monday – Friday 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. ET
Saturday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. ET
Youth Talkline
1-800-246-7743
Monday – Friday 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. ET
Saturday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. ET
For teens and young adults up to age 25
Online Peer-Support Chat
Monday – Friday 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. ET
Saturday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. ET
One-on-one confidential peer support; not for casual chatting.
Chat here
Trans Teens Online Talk Group
Weekly moderated group for trans teens ages 12 – 19
Wednesday from 7-9 p.m. ET
Join the group here
The Gay & Lesbian Switchboard of New York
1-212-989-0999
Monday – Friday 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. ET
Saturday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. ET
NYC hotline providing peer support and information on local resources
Advocacy Organizations for the Transgender Community
National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) - provides information, support, and advocates for transgender people
Trans People of Color Coalition (TPOCC)- Helps to advance equality for trans people of color
Trans Women of Color Collective (TWOCC)- Advocacy group for transgender women of color
Black Trans Advocacy- Aims to improve the Black Transgender experience, and also provides free support in the US at (855) 624-7715 Tuesday-Thursday from 10-2 CST
Trans Latina Coalition- Advocacy group for the Latin Transgender community
Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition (MTPC)- Advocacy group located in Massachusetts
Transgender American Veterans Association- Advocacy for Transgender Vets
The Task Force's Transgender Civil Rights Project- Advocacy and education about trans issues
PFLAG's Transgender Ally campaign- Advocacy and allyship campaign
HRC's transgender resources- Resources and advocacy for trans rights
Family and Trans Youth Support
Gender Spectrum- Provides advocacy and support for families, transgender youth, and educators
Gender Diversity- Provides advocacy and support for families, transgender youth, and educators
Trans Families- Provides advocacy and support for families, transgender youth, and educators
Trans Youth Equity Foundation- Provides support for families and trans youth
PFLAG Our Trans Loved Ones- Support for families with people who have trans members
COLAGE Kids of Trans Community- Support for children with transgender parents
Legal Services
Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF)- Legal Defense for those who identify within the transgender spectrum
Transgender Law Center (TLC)- National legal services and advocacy for transgender people
Sylvia Rivera Law Project (SRLP)- Legal services for trans people
Trans Doe Task Force- Legal services for trans people
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)- Provides legal services for trans individuals
GLAD Trans Rights- Gives legal help and provides information about your rights
National Center for Lesbian Rights - Transgender Law- Has legal outlets for the transgender community as well as a surplus of legal information
NCTE- A collective of over 80 organizations compiled to help navigate the name and gender change process
NCTE Directory- Compilation of the US and national resources for legal help for the trans community
American Bar Association- Has a list of resources for education and help regarding transgender legal issues in the US
Transgender Youth and Equality- Provides legal support to transgender youth as well as education about rights
Housing Resources
Trans Equality- Information regarding gender equality and your housing rights
CenterLink- Helps find an LGBT community center
AKT- A UK resource center that provides housing to LGBT+ community members under the age of 26
Stonewall Housing- Provides LGBT+ members housing and support throughout the UK and London
Bill Wilson Center- Provides support and housing for all members of the LBGT+ community as well as families
Los Angeles Host Home- Resources for finding host homes for LGBT+ Youth throughout California
Time Out Youth- Helps Provide homes for transgender youth who have been kicked out of their home
National Coalition for the Homeless- Provides resources to help find local homeless shelters/housing/host homes
National Homeless Law Center- Provides policy advocacy, public education, litigation, and advocacy training and support to prevent and end homelessness and to protect the rights of people experiencing homelessness
Support Groups for the Trans Community - Kansas City
- Trans+Social: Weekly social support group held at UMKC exclusively for trans+ individuals who are college students or young adult community members. Email transumkc@gmail.com for the current time and location.
- Trans+Allies: Facilitated discussion group open to everyone. Held once per month during the academic year (Sept-Dec, Feb-May) at UMKC. Email transumkc@gmail.com for the current time, location, and topics.
- EQUAL Trans Support Group: Held at the LIKEME Lighthouse (3909 Main St.), 5-8 p.m. on 3rd Thursdays. Open to everyone. Contact joy.brungardt@gmail.com for more information.
- SOFFA (Significant Others, Family, Friends, and Allies) of Transgender Persons: 6:30-8:30 p.m. on 1st and 3rd Wednesdays at various Johnson County libraries. Contact soffakc@yahoo.com for the current location.
- PFLAG: Held monthly at 3 p.m. on the 4th Sunday at the LIKEME Lighthouse and the 2nd Sunday at Village Presbyterian (6641 Mission Rd.) For parents, family, friends, and LGBT+ individuals.
Note: Check out http://likemelighthouse.org/calendar/ for social events for LGBT+ individuals.
Counseling Options for the Trans Community - Kansas City
If you are a student, college counseling centers often offer a number of free sessions per year. As with all counseling centers, it is recommended that you request a counselor who is knowledgeable about trans issues.
- Community Counseling and Assessment Services at UMKC: Offers income-based counseling with counseling practicum students; sessions as low as $5. 816-235-2725
- Counseling Services: Brookside 51 Building, Room 201 816-235-1635 cthc@umkc.edu
- T. Michael Henderson, MS, LPC, LCPC: 7280 NW 87th Terr., Suite 210, Kansas City, Mo.; 816-841-7772
- Teresa Rose, Ph.D.: 4200 Somerset Dr., Suite 239, Prairie Village, Kan.; 816-363-9500
- Richard Abloff, Ph.D.: 6306 Walnut St., Kansas City, Mo.; 816-444-7890
- Daniel C. Claiborn, Ph.D.: 8826 Santa Fe Dr., Suite 170; Overland Park, Kan.; 913-438-2100
- Donna J Davis, PLPC: 816-442-3481, equalitycounseling2014@gmail.com
- Megan Monroe, LSCSW: 816-435-2829; MMonroeMSW@kc.rr.com; MeganMonroeMSW.com
- Transgender Institute: Caroline Gibbs and Patti Concannon. Therapy geared toward MTF and FTM individuals wishing to transition, as well as children and teens; 8080 Ward Parkway, Suite 400, Kansas City, Mo.; 816-305-0943
- Trevor Lifeline: An LGBT+ 24/7 counseling/crisis line: 866-488-7386
Health Care for the Trans Community - Kansas City
- KC CARE Health Clinic: Offers a range of free health care services. 3515 Broadway, Kansas City, Mo.; 816-753-5144 http://www.kccareclinic.org/ (Also offers counseling)
- Truman Medical Center: Free and reduced-cost medical care, including specialists; 2301 Holmes St., Kansas City, Mo.; 816-404-1000; http://www.trumed.org/ (Also offers counseling at 300 W. 19th Terr.: 816-404-5700) Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm
- Transgender Surgery Services In Kansas: This is a compiled list of hospitals and doctors throughout Kansas that do gender-affirming surgeries.
- KU Medical Center: These are the names of trans-friendly providers that work for the Kansas University Medical Center: Practitioners: Meredith Gray, MD OB-GYN; Taryn Acosta Lentz, Ph.D. – Merriam, KS; Margaret Tuttle, Physician’s Assistant – Kansas City, KS; Kathryn Thiessen, Adult Health Nurse Practitioner – Wichita
- Sharon Lee, M.D.: 340 Southwest Blvd. Kansas City, Kan.; 913-722-3100; informed consent hormone therapy without a referral from a counselor.
- Mary Jacobs, A.P.R.N.: 1001 N. Minneapolis Wichita, Kan.; 316-293-1840; informed consent hormone therapy.
- Cynthia Glass, M.D.: 373 W. 101st Terr., Kansas City, Mo.; 816-942-8200. Provides hormone therapy. Requests a referral.
- Gender Pathway Services at Children’s Mercy Hospital: pediatric endocrinologist Jill Jacobson, M.D. This clinic provides counseling and health care for transgender children; 816-478-5254 or 816-960-8803
Legal Aid for the Trans Community - Kansas City
- Madeline Johnson, gender attorney. 4051 Broadway, Suite 4, Kansas City, Mo.; 816-607-1836; MJohnson@ELMLAWKC.com. Handles discrimination claims, name changes, gender marker changes, and birth certificate amendments.
- OutLaws: UMKC Program that connects LGBT+ students with law students to help with the legalization of name changes and more. 500 E 52nd St. UMKC School of Law Kansas City, MO 64110 United State of America Contact Email E: Jcwbfv@mail.umkc.edu
- ID Change: Hub for name and gender marker change in Kansas
Editor’s Note: The University of Missouri Kansas City established a Trans+Social Group in February 2014 to provide a safe space for individuals who identify as transgender to meet, connect and discuss topics related to gender identity and expression. Two UMKC School of Education students in the counseling psychology doctoral program, Alex Ross and Michelle Farrell, helped create this program. The group is open to UMKC students of all ages and young adults in the Kansas City area who identify as transgender, transsexual, genderqueer, genderfluid, gender non-conforming, non-binary, bigender, agender, third gender, questioning, and/or somewhere beyond the binary gender system. Ross posted this resource guide on the Facebook page called LGBT in KC, and we are reprinting it with her permission.
last updated June 17, 2022
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Michael Feinstein
Michael Feinstein has become an iconic singer of the modern era. He has entertained audiences and world leaders alike with his jazz standards. Recently he began working with Liza Minnelli to produce a unique stage show that celebrates her mother, Judy Garland's, 100th birthday.
Mr. Feinstein took time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions and give us some insight into his creative process, the future of jazz, and the production of this one-of-a-kind show.
Why do you feel the classics still resonate today?
One of the things I love about the music that I primarily sing is that the songs transcend the time in which they were created. They truly are timeless in the sense that they still have incredible power and energy in what they convey to audiences. I always compare them to the timelessness of William Shakespeare or Beethoven or Michelangelo in that people don't experience any of those things and say they're old.
They still resonate with the heart and they have a contemporary sensibility because certain fundamental emotions are forever. The songs that I sing are so amazingly crafted that they're malleable and they can be performed and sung and may any different ways. And that's one of the reasons they survive because they're just adaptable.
And that's one of the fun things about it. Every time I sing one of these songs, it feels fresh to me. And I also know that there are maybe people in the audience who've never heard these songs before. So I'm mindful of trying to present them in their best suit. If you will.
Did Judy Garland influence you more when you were a kid or as an adult?
Judy Garland, what an amazing person; incredible performer. As a child, like most of my generation, anyway, I first became aware of Judy Garland in connection with the 'Wizard of Oz.' That movie was shown every year as an annual event on television. And we would always go to my aunt and uncle's house and watch it there because they had a color television. But the true art of Judy Garland was introduced to me later in my life, when I became aware of her many recordings and other films that she made at MGM, and she had two distinct careers. One was the 28 feature films she made at MGM from 1937 until she was unceremoniously fired by them in 1950.
Then there was her adult concert career from 1951 to 1969. In that period, she performed over 1100 concerts and made classic record albums. And that's such a rich period of American culture and also music. And so the show that I'm doing is a true celebration of the extraordinary joy she brought to her and the pathos and the sadness that's conveyed through the way she sang ballots. It's a multimedia celebration with home movies supplied by the family, a rare recording of hers singing acapella. And I accompany her on the piano that I actually discovered of a song no one had ever heard her sing before. So it's a, a rich program."
In your opinion, has jazz fallen by the wayside in contemporary music, or is it just reserved for a more distinguished crowd?
I think jazz falls into the same category as American popular song, the classic American popular song in that it will always survive, it will always have an audience and perhaps it's more specialized today, but it's the kind of music that people discover when they're a little bit older and then it becomes a permanent part of what they listen to.
Are there any modern songwriters who you feel could be as prolific as Mr. Gershwin?
Well, uh, I believe that Bob Dylan is incredibly prolific. There are many other songwriters who have a work ethic that produces a lot of material. Diane Warren, I'm told, writes every single day, The songwriter Michel Legrand composed, well over 200 film scores as he composed every day. So there are probably songwriters who wrote more than Gerwin, but will their songs be heard in a hundred years as widely as George Gershwins? That I don't know the answer to.
Do you think the best songs are written when the world is in turmoil or when it's more at peace?
Music always reflects the time in which it is created. Uh, if you look at the songs of world war II, the were lots of songs of patriotism that were very, um, what's the word --- jingoistic. Things like, 'Johnny get your gun, get your gun, get your gun.' All these songs about fighting for what's right. And those songs have not lived as long as the love songs that were written in that time.
For example, 'White Christmas' was written at a time when the world was just entering the second world war and that song has lived, and the patriotic songs, uh, have not worn well, even though the sentiment is there. They were very much of their time. I think that there is a certain kind of inspiration that comes out of turmoil. A lot of songs written during the American depression have become lasting standards.
Things like "As Time Goes By.' That was later featured in the movie 'Casablanca' and that sort of thing. So I think that good songs can be written in any time, but perhaps there's more, uh, passion conveyed when there are problems in the world,
Does music constantly play in my subconscious?
Absolutely. Yes. Music is always playing in my brain and that doesn't bother me because sometimes it's music. I know, and sometimes it's new music. That's how I, I come up with the idea for a tune. My friend, George Firth, who died a number of years ago was a brilliant librettist. He wrote the book for the Sondheim shows 'Merrily, We Roll Along,' and company. And he once said that anything that you're whistling or humming in your brain is a subconscious window to what one is really thinking about or what they're really feeling.
So if he ever heard anybody humming or whistling, he would say, what are you singing? What are you humming? He wanted to know the title of the song, because that was his armchair psychoanalysis of what that person was, was going through.
What will the audiences be treated to at the Scottsdale show?
Well, it's a centennial tribute to Judy Garland. And as I mentioned previously, it's multimedia with photographs that have never been seen before, this incredible home recording of Judy Garland, which I found in a house that she once lived in behind a fake wall.
It's just a weird story. Uh, so I'll be accompanying her in this song. So it's a world premiere of Judy Garland singing something that nobody's ever heard before. And I also sing a couple of things that were written for her that never saw the light of day.
And then a lot of familiar things. It's a celebration of the best of her MGM years, and then the concert years, the iconic Carnegie Hall show, and it's a very immersive experience, both, visually and emotionally. The audience reaction has been, spectacular, and I'm very grateful. The enormity of trying to pay tribute to someone with a career, as large as Judy Garland's certainly was not easy, but I feel like we've nailed it.
I had a team of people who helped to put it together, notably, Judy Garland's daughter, Liza Minnelli, who executive produced the show and was very much influential in helping to shape what it's about. It celebrates the incredible art that she gave all of us. It doesn't delve into the tragedy because that's the tabloid stuff. But the reason people remember her at all is because of the talent. And so that's what I celebrate.
Thank you.
Show & Venue details:
Valley audience members can join Feinstein for this celebration of Judy Garland at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. 2nd St., Scottsdale, Arizona. There will be two concerts at 3 pm and 7 pm on Sunday, March 20, 2022. Tickets start at $79. For information click here or visit or call 480-499-TKTS (8587).
All guests age 12 and older must provide a negative COVID-19 PCR test, taken within 72 hours of the performance date, along with photo ID, to attend performances. As an alternative, guests may provide proof of full vaccination. Masks are highly encouraged to protect artists, staff and patrons. For full health and safety protocols click here.
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