Just To Be The Ally Who Raised $1000 To Lay Down at Your Door

Da da da (da da da)
Da da da (da da da)Da Da Da Dun Diddle Un Diddle Un Diddle Uh Da Da

My nickname for the group of queer and trans youth who developed the #ProtectTransKidsDay proclamation is “The Proclaimers”

Already unhappy that trans kids reported (too) much misgendering and deadnaming in healthcare settings, they asked healthcare providers to step up. Here are some of the relevant sections from the proclamation.

WHEREAS, Pittsburgh trans youth report transphobic and hurtful experiences in their daily lives, including at school, in health care settings, and in the general community, despite the City of Pittsburgh’s establishment, in 2000, of protection from discrimination based on gender identity and gender expression, and despite Pittsburgh Public Schools’ establishment of progressive trans-affirming educational policies; and,

WHEREAS, all trans youth should receive gender-affirming healthcare, including but not limited to the recognition of their pronouns by healthcare providers during medical and clinical interactions; and,

We added pens to the #PTK messaging tools because a great pen is highly valued by every healthcare provider, from nurses to dietary to maintenance – they all do chart work.

To get the pens started, we need $1000. This will produce 2500 pens from a union shop, pens approved by very experienced healthcare professionals. Pens will be free to request with a donation requested so we can produce more pens. Just like the signs and stickers.

Then the Proclaimers learned about the FBI arresting someone for calling in a bomb threat to Boston Children’s Hospital. Reason? The hospitals gender affirmation clinic. These people are so unhinged that they would threaten a hospital for children to protect children? How does that work? I mean I bet that cisgender children getting treatment for cancer feel so much safer knowing a bomb will selectively kill and maim trans kids. Right?

So we kicked up fundraising.

We have the support of the O’Donnell-Collar family. We will use a union shop and distribute the pens at no charge, but
accepting donations as we do with the yard signs and stickers. We’ve consulted with a lot of healthcare folx to determine the best pen. We have official “test scribblers” lined up.

This is not just me asking you to donate more money. This is a group of queer and trans youth who have identified specific issues within the healthcare industry. This is a CTA to all healthcare providers, administrators, hospitals, medical practices, insurance companies, regulators, and more. How great it would be if those folks provided the initial $1000 investment to get this going ASAP. I’ve asked a few, but no response so far. Not everyone working in healthcare can make a personal donation of $1000, but there are plenty who can. Hospitals can. Surgeons can. Unions can. Researche insitututes can. Many medical practices can.

But who will? My guess is that individual nurses, aides, techs, janitors, doctors, and others will chip in $25 and $50 until we get to the total.

Can we raise the $1000 this weekend? UPDATE: We did not raise the money this weekend so we now look ahead to the week.

Donations can be made via

GoFundMe bit.ly/YardSignsFund **Preferred
Venmo @PittsburghLGBTQ
Paypal bit.ly/PayPalPLC
Checks made payable to ‘Pittsburgh LGBTQ Charities’
and mailed to 1439 W. North Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA
15233