San Francisco Health Program to Expand Transgender Coverage

[TaraJo]

http://www.advocate.com/politics/transge...r-coverage

Sooo....... anyone here want to help me move to San Francisco?

[Annik]

Oh, that's wonderful!

[festive1]

That is really awesome!

[Angrboda]

http://www.advocate.com/politics/transge...r-coverage

Sooo....... anyone here want to help me move to San Francisco?

Um. If I were to help you move to San Francisco, which parts of you would I be called upon to carry? (I'm very busy these days, I don't want to end up juggling too many things.)

[Polaris]

I think they should focus first on the homeless being fed and having adequate healthcare before doing something like this. Preservation of life takes priority.

[festive1]

I agree the homeless issue is a major problem that needs to be dealt with. However, it's not as simple as just giving the homeless jobs and a place to live. A lot of homeless people (especially the chronic or long-term cases) suffer from mental illness or drug addiction, some refuse to take medication. And then you get people like my dad, who is currently homeless, and is also a staunch conservative who despises any form of the welfare state. Meaning he has refused to try to get services. He is literally trying to get himself in such a position that someone, anyone, will see him as a hopeless victim and take him in. What it comes down to, basically, is he is avoiding looking at his role in his current situation. In his view, he's not homeless because of his mental illness or the fact that he has hurt and alienated everyone who cares about him, rather that he's a victim of... I don't know what exactly. It's just a sad situation.

[TaraJo]

Also, keep in mind, this is San Francisco we're talking about, probably the most liberal city in the nation. I would honestly be surprised if they don't already have a lot of programs aimed at keeping the hungry fed, putting a roof over the heads of the homeless and making sure everyone has quality healthcare. As festive has mentioned, everyone who falls between the cracks after that falls between the cracks for a reason, and being trans just happens to be one of those reasons. Being homeless while you're trans is no fun and having to try to get into a homeless shelter while trans is even more frustrating because the shelters are strictly gendered with a men's side and a woman's side. From what I understand, SF would still likely put me in the women's side, but that being said, there's no promise anyone there would make me feel especially welcome after they find out about my surgical status (this is especially true when the specific homeless shelter is run by homophobic groups like the Catholic church or the Salvation Army). I think providing surgery for trans folks is another part of addressing needs of people who have fallen between the cracks.

[Kousbroek]

http://www.advocate.com/politics/transge...r-coverage

Sooo....... anyone here want to help me move to San Francisco?

If you feel that way, try Holland, must be paradise

[festive1]

Indeed, San Francisco is one of the best cities to be homeless in. They have lots of resources for the homeless there.

San Francisco
The city of San Francisco, California, due to its mild climate and its social programs that have provided cash payments for homeless individuals, is often considered the homelessness capital of the United States,[97] together with Los Angeles. The city's homeless population has been estimated at 7,000-10,000 people, of which approximately 3,000-5,000 refuse shelter. The city spends $200 million a year on homelessness related programs.[98] On May 3, 2004,[99] San Francisco officially began an attempt to scale back the scope of its homelessness problem by changing its strategy from cash payments to the "Care Not Cash" plan. At the same time, grassroots organizations within the Bay Area such as the Suitcase Clinic work to provide referrals for housing and employment to the homeless population. In 2010, a city ordinance was passed which will disallow sitting and lying down on public sidewalks for most of the day, from 7am until 11pm.[100]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homelessnes...ted_States
And note that 3,000-5,000 of the homeless in San Francisco refuse shelter. You can't help people who don't want it.

[TaraJo]

Indeed, San Francisco is one of the best cities to be homeless in. They have lots of resources for the homeless there.

Yeah, I know. That combined with their extremely tolerant attitude towards GLBT folk is the reason they're on my short list of places to go when/if Texas gets too bat-shit, fundamentalist crazy for me. Even if I have to be homeless, if I'm homeless there, I may very well be in a better situation there than I would be here.