Questioning Transphobia

Trans woman in dire financial need

with 5 comments

I received an e-mail yesterday from Sin Nombre regarding a trans woman who’s been staying with him:

I’m not sure how active you are on Facebook and I haven’t been on LJ in ages, so I’m sending this to you in the hopes that you’ll have the inclination and ability to post this on QT and/or other resources that you know of or have access to.

To make a long story short, Ada, a trans woman whom I met through a close friend, has been staying with me for the past couple of months. She’s actually leaving tomorrow because the property manager of my apt complex found out she and her pets are staying with me and wanted to charge me/us $325, which is money that neither of us has. She just managed to secure temporary housing through the 15th, which is when she’s due to go back to grad school. In the meantime, she’s not been able to find steady employment that pays a living wage or stable housing due to her trans status. She just started a GoFundMe acct to assist with the cost of living since her only means of income has been food stamps and the occasional check from her mother, who is in similar financial straits. The link is here:http://www.gofundme.com/ynipk

She needs enough to be able to purchase basic supplies that EBT won’t cover (doctors’ appts, prescriptions, pet food, personal care supplies, gas, emergency expenses, etc). She just found housing three hours away, in Memphis, and that should be sufficient until she can go back to school in Asheville around 8/15, so the hotel part isn’t applicable. The most important part is that she’ll need enough money to drive from Memphis to Asheville, NC (~500 mi) in order to access student loans and go back to school. All funds collected will only go for the aforementioned purposes. I’d appreciate any help or e-blasts you can provide.

At this point, she has enough gas to make it there and about $20 in cash. Given the abysmal job market and her impending return to school, as well as employer discrimination, it’s highly unlikely that she’ll have any source of cash income until around August 25th, since her loans won’t come until about a week after the semester starts. She has (most likely) secured housing for the school year, but since disclosing her status has not yet heard from the property management office. Any knowledge of affordable non-discriminatory rental agencies or apartment complexes in Asheville, NC would also be greatly appreciated, in the event that the property management office changes its mind about accepting her.

Any housing in Asheville would need to be pet-friendly as well, since her pets are her family and fostering them or giving them up is not an option.

Since it took me more time than is really reasonable for me to put this up, tomorrow in that post actually means today

My understanding of the gofundme page is that the housing issue for the next couple of weeks was resolved last night, but she still needs assistance with the other things listed.

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Written by Lisa Harney

August 3rd, 2012 at 8:05 pm

Posted in Uncategorized

5 Responses to 'Trans woman in dire financial need'

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  1. I feel for this gal and would love to help her out. However, I’m a trans grrl who has no job, no income and I live on the streets. Unfortunately for me, I’m not pretty so even doing sex work never really works out. I can post on craigslist and get responses but once a trick sees me, he loses interest. I’ve been kicked out of two places that I was squatting in by my local city workers in the last two months. I have a car but the police know me and always catch me and tell me I can’t sleep in my car. Sleeping in a car or in a city park are both violations of city ordinances. It’s a $120 fine or 90 days in jail if I were to refuse the fine. I’ve been denied medicaid repeatedly so I have to pay for me transition related medical expenses completely out of pocket. I’ve applied for public housing repeatedly but I seem to not get on the list over and over again. It’s like my paperwork just disappears. Luckily, I’m clean and sober. That seems to be the only thing I got going for me lately. I haven’t given up; I look for work everyday. And, more importantly, I haven’t internalized this oppression. I know I’m a smart, caring, and important member of my community. I just wish others could see it too.

    cami

    4 Aug 12 at 10:02 am

  2. norma kent

    4 Aug 12 at 10:21 am

  3. An update: Ada and the animals made it to Memphis safely yesterday afternoon. Thank you so much for doing this, and thanks to everyone who’s donated and sent their well wishes so far!

    Sin Nombre

    4 Aug 12 at 10:47 am

  4. Thanks for the help, me and critters are back safe in Asheville, via three other cities. All of us deserve help when in need no matter if homeless or close to it, pets, or no pets, trans or not trans. Thanks and blessings.

    Ada

    21 Aug 12 at 12:28 am

  5. Glad to hear you made it okay, Ada. Thank you for the update.

    Lisa Harney

    21 Aug 12 at 12:31 am

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