Updated December 28, 2008
The Rochester Transgender Group Website FAQ
For many years the RTG has existed as a community support group for those who identify as transgendered. We are hopeful that this new outreach will stimulate our sense of community and increase the availability of quality resources for all of us.
Will registering with the website compromise my privacy?
You are not asked to provide any personal information that will put you at risk. In fact, you should never post personal information that could be traced back to you on the Internet. You are encouraged to use an alias or pseudonym if privacy is a concern.
Are the forums secured?
Yes, you will have a private
password that insures that only you have access to the forum. Confidentiality is
as important to us as it is to you.
Does the website offer support for friends, family, or significant
others?
Yes, In addition to the password
access only transgendered forum, we have a separate password access only forum
for those dealing with transgendered associates, friends, or family members.
People may post questions to others, offer advice, or just let off steam secure
in the knowledge that their postings are not available to their transgendered
family members. Confidentiality is as important to us as it is to you.
Are the forums moderated?
Yes, the RTG is committed to
providing a safe, supportive, and nurturing environment. Flame wars, personal
attacks, inappropriate language, or sexually explicit postings will not be
tolerated.
What sorts of information will be available?
The transgender community has a
number of cosmetic and health professionals in the area that have proven to be
trans-friendly. The contact information for these services are available online.
One of the questions that people
often ask concerns where can I go in the Rochester area that offers a
trans-friendly atmosphere for retail of entertainment purposes. Our goal is to
collect this information from the membership and make contact information
available for them as well.
We will be looking to increase
our directory of trans-friendly professional services such as legal aid,
cosmetology, the faith community, and medical professionals in the area.
We also hope to collect
information regarding the procedural aspects of changing legal documents for
those in transition.
What else do you offer?
We will be collecting important
information from around the world of interest to the transgendered
audience. Included will be news of particular interest to the local community.
The RTG operates a real-time chat
room where members may communicate with one another on everything from small
talk to current issues of importance.
The RTG Chat room will NOT be a
sex-chat space. Anyone reported to a
moderator of engaging in such activity will be banned from the site.
The website offers a links page of some of the highest quality Internet resources for all members of the transgender community.
What if I want to email someone without revealing my external email address?
You have the option of having your offsite email address available to other users or not. You can set this flag in your profile page when you register. You can send a private message, (pm) to another user within the forum without revealing your external email address.
Why should I join the forum?
There are many reasons why joining the forum is important to you. You will have the ability to network with other local transgendered individuals. You will have access to the accumulated experience of many others who share “secret knowledge” of what is like to be transgendered. You cannot get that kind of support from anyone who hasn’t walked our walk. You will make new friends that could last a lifetime. Those in your life that need a support system to help them adjust to your particular situation will have a support system to help them help you and each other without fear of being judged or “outed.”
These sorts of forums have been shown to increase the sense of community, offer a safe “lifeline” to those in crisis, foster better understanding of the entire transgendered community, and give a sense of “safe space” to those who have no such space in their lives.
We sincerely hope that you will give us a try. We need YOU in order for this initiative to succeed. We have posted some interesting topic in the forums to help stimulate discussion. If you don’t see a topic that you are interested in, you can start your own topic. Registered users may read and respond to posts that appear in the forum.
If you have further questions not covered in this FAQ, feel free to contact me directly via email at diana55@rochester.rr.com.
Enjoy and see you on the forum!!
Diana Lynn