transpeople in Europe

The LKG T and T and other organizations which are involded with transvestism or crossdressing and transsexuality - The Netherlands Presentation by Renate den Heijer

The LKG T and T is not the only organization which is involved with crossdressing and
transsexuality. There are more organizations which are mentioned in this little green
booklet. Unfortunately I have no translation into English. I’ll mention some
organisations.
- the Virgin group: organized meetings by Humanitas in Amsterdam for male to
female transsexuals
- working party Transsexuality Humanitas Rotterdam; they organize discussion meetings in different settings. One for man to female transsexuals and one for a mixed group transsexuals. Both of them I visit at regular times.
Other organizations are:
- The Man Group; organized meeting by Humanitas in Amsterdam for female to male
transsexuals
- Berdache: that is an organization founded in 1997 by a parent of a child who has
gender dysphoria. This organization organizes once a year a childrens’ day and two
meetings for the parents

Different from the organizations I just mentioned the LKG has an open character. That
means that you doesn't have to be a member of the LKG to visit the contact evenings.
The LKG T&T is a society by and for anyone, man or woman, who feels the need to
present him- or herself as a member of the opposite sex. Completely or partly, occasionally or permanently. T&T stands for Travestie (crossdressing) and Transsexuality, both of which have many appearances and variations, so in this leaflet we prefer to use the common term 'transgender'.
The main objective of the LKG is to realize (self) acceptance and emancipation of
transgendered people. The LKG deals with all different kinds of transgender behaviour, from crossdressing to transsexualism.

The LKG T&T also strives to become the main consultative body for all people and
organizations that are involved with the transgendered community in any way.

Of all times
Transgendered people have existed world wide and throughout time. Most people know
about it, but unfortunately usually in the twisted form you see in the yellow press. Not
everyone is capable of dealing with it in a relaxed way. A man in women's clothes can be a source of indifference, ridicule, annoyance or even agression. The male-female binary is locked into peoples hearts and minds, as a result of which any form inbetween is not easily accepted.

T&T nights
The LKG wants to provide transgenders with a trusted and safe environment to give in to
their feelings. For that purpose we have monthly meetings which are held in twelve cities
across the country. Some of these have existed for more than 25 years, others have
started up recently. They definitely serve a need. During these evenings everyone is
welcome. Membership is not necessary. More and more partners come too, and so do
friends and relatives. The evenings are being held on saturdays or weekdays in community centers or T-friendly pubs. Usually there are dressing facilities.
The T&T night in The Hague is being held in the pub-section of the Gay bardancing ‘The
Strass’. Next Thursday the 27th there is the monthly meeting there.

Others 'like that'
Transgender feelings often are a burden. For the person feeling that way, but also for their partner, children, wider family and social circle. The LKG T&T holds meetings which are exclusively for partners. For them, the discovery that there are others 'like that' can be an enormous relief and can make the issue easier to discuss.

Emancipation
The LKG also actively works to bring about the emancipation of transgendered people. We work towards society's acceptance of the male who wants to express himself in society as female and the female who wants to express herself as male. Especially men who want to present as women can experience their need as a serious problem which can lead to pyschological stress and tensions in the realtionship with the partner. These stress and tensions could be relieved by more acceptance and tolerance in society. Not because it makes the world a better place, but to give the people concerned, and their partners, an essential feeling of recognition and liberation.

Self acceptance
Transgendered people often find themselves in social isolation. They have few places to go with their feelings. Repressing those feelings is a temporary solution at best, but will never help in the long run. There's no pill to cure it. Many doctors, psychologists and other professionals have no answers to the questions facing transgendered people, let alone the time to listen. This usually amplifies the feeling of isolation.

Of the large group of transgendered people only a few accept themselves enough to go
into town to do shopping or have a drink in the sun. This group of, usually, men is
characterized by the fact that they want to look as normal as possible as a woman
(passable). That's a far cry from what can be seen on the streets during Pink Monday or
the Gay Pride Canal Parade, where the T's are more theatrical. It's fun to watch, but it's not what the average transgender would like to be.

Self acceptance, and with it a liberation from social isolation, would be helped a lot by a
wide acceptance in society of transgendered peoples feelings and manifestations.

Activities
The LKG T&T has two main area's of attention:
Internally:
- a safe haven for transgendered people,
- offering them and their partners help. Because of the difference between
tranvestites and transsexuals there are two partnergroups founded. One for partners
of transvestites or cross-dressers and one partnergroup for partners of transsexuals,
- advice and workshops
- organizing T&T-evenings and promoting self acceptance in as many ways as
possible.
Externally:
- Give information about cross-dressing and transsexuality to the general public and
specific target groups in order to gain more understanding and acceptance and put an ideal with the isolation of transgendered people.
To make all of this happen the LKG needs more members. More members mean more
possibilities for activities and more influence. On top of that we need members who want to help us achieve our goals. To join up is a first step, to become a volunteer is a giant leap.

External co operation:
The LKG participates in the Transgender Netwerk Nederland. Some Dutch organizations of Transgenderists came together at the NationalTransgender Conference T3 which was being held in on november 2004 as an initiative of the foundation T-Image to talk about the possibilities of co operation. On February 11th 2006 the Transgender Network in the Netherlands was officially founded.
The Transgender Network Netherlands is a co operation between COC Amsterdam and
the LKG T and T , the Noodles, Projectgroup Care and Communication, T & T Group
Amsterdam, Workinggroup Transsexuality and Genderdysphoria and Humanitas and the
Foundation T image.


who is Renate?

I’m the hostess of the T and T contactgroup The Hague. This contactgroup is one of the twelve contactgroups in the Netherlands, which is a part of the National Contact Group for crossdressing and transsexuality, shortly the LKG T and T.

I’m a post operated transsexual and I have had my sex reassignement surgery recently this year. For the law in the Netherlands I’m not yet officially gendered as a woman. Although the judge has made in July this year the verdict that I’m a woman for the Dutch law, I have to wait three months more for it to become official. That means that during the next month I can expect the message from the civil office of the municipality of The Hague that I can apply for a new passport with my new identity.



Amsterdam, September 2007, first from the right - Renate

Renate den Heijer