Searching

 Recently, we had the second Transgender Day of Visibility virtual meeting which I have attended. What is going to happen is the whole month of March is going to provide different transgender visibility topics. 

Early on, I volunteered to lend my ideas on issues facing elderly transgender senior citizens when they face being housed in assisted living  situations. The group thought it was a great idea, especially if I was able to come up with individuals who have experienced it. Of course, it is a tremendously difficult task to find someone who is at the most still alive and able to speak to their experiences.  

So far, along the way I have left messages on the "Trans Ohio", HRC, and two Cincinnati based transgender groups looking for input. So far, I have received nothing back. Which wasn't non expected. 

Ironically,  the only good information I received led me right back to the board I am part of in Dayton called the "Rainbow Elderly Alliance." The former leader of the group was the undisputed expert in the senior citizen LGBT field was the man who tragically just passed away. On the fortunate side, I was able to virtually attend two of his seminars before he passed. It was then decided it would be fine if I was to come as close as I could to re creating one of his seminars. 

The only problem I possibly encountered was a unique one. Nearly half way into the meeting a person from one of the state wide agencies who is very effective in providing transgender mental health and over all health care joined the session. Immediately, he started talking about contacting doctors about the problem which still provides no input into finding someone who is transgender (not gay or lesbian)   in the system. 

For once I kept my mouth shut and didn't sound like a trans elitist and say to the best of my ability the month after all was about transgender visibility, not LGBT as a whole. 

In the meantime, I am still searching for someone in the assisted car system who has the where with all to speak on their issues and maybe more important the way to do it. 

If you are in the Ohio area and have ideas, please let me know.