Understanding Gender Variance

Helen Dale has been involved in the trans community for more than twenty years; initially providing support on the internet then training as a counsellor and counselling supervisor; chairing trans and LGB&T support groups and providing workshops on trans issues to a range of audiences - and has won several awards for this work.

This guide has been developed from those workshops and her personal experiences supporting other trans individuals. It is intended to be easy to read keeping jargon to a minimum and explaining terms in simple language. The information is laid out in logical sections - with a comprehensive contents section to find relevant details easily.

With the number of individuals identifying as trans, intersex, non-binary or gender fluid doubling about every five years, if you haven't previously met or had dealings with a trans individual, you may well do before long whether as a manager or support worker friend or family. It will help you to identify the questions that you need to ask and how to avoid common mistakes.It will also be a valuable resource for anyone who identifies as transgender, intersex, non-binary or gender fluid.

The book is aimed at anyone dealing with trans people

• Counsellors / Help-line Operators/ Befrienders
• Support/ Social Workers
• Union Staff
• Teachers and Lecturers
• Citizens Advice Bureaux
• Samaritans
• Equality and Diversity Practitioners
• HR staff
• Other Managers
• LGBT+ organisations
• Family & Friends
• And Trans Individuals themselves

Contents include:

• Definitions
• Causality
• Social Transition
• Mythbusting
• Transsexual Journey to Surgery
• Travelling on: Post Transition / Surgery
• Trans Issues in Counselling
• Partners and Families
• Case Studies
• Legal History
• Discrimination & Hate Crime/ Incidents
• Employment
• Bibliography