[theoddz]

1. Do you have a local LGBQIT Community which welcomes you?

There is a GLBTQ "community center" here in Vegas, but I don't know if there's any kind of actual organized social support in the form of a "group", so to speak. I've met a couple of people here in Vegas from here and the dash site, and although we regard each other as "friends", we don't really get together and do anything together very often. I think we're all busy working, or just living our lives. I like to get together with Eddie (OffRoadButch), Luvin' (when hy's here in town) and Caidyn (SinCityChains) when we can and eat waaaaaaanggggzz at Hooter's from time to time, but like I said, we all stay busy with work and such.

2. What kind of resources/services particular to Trans People are available locally to you, as a Trans Person?

Well, there's a trans support group, sponsored by the Las Vegas GLBTQ Community Center, and that meets On Monday nights at the Center, but I haven't been to that in a couple of years. My work hours (rotating 12 hour shifts) aren't exactly conducive to scheduled things and it's hard to make a habit of going to these meetings. Caidyn and I went to a few meetings a couple of years ago and we were the only transmen there. Of course we met bunches of seriously nice, funny and very pretty transwomen, but we found that the meetings weren't really, all in all, geared for the issues of transmen. We both quit going.

There are a couple of doctors in town who perform services, mainly hormone therapy and management, but they're very quiet about it and you almost have to hook up with some of the area transwomen in order to find out who they are.....so....go to the support meetings and find a doc, eh??

I'm lucky that I'm a health care professional, a Disabled Veteran and I also work for the VA health care system here in Las Vegas. My VA doc is very gay/trans-friendly and is not adverse to providing me with my Testosterone, the injection supplies and follow up lab maintenance that I need. Also, I've noticed, from several FTM and MTF patients who have come through our VA system/hospital from other VA's, that the VA is coming more in tune with the fact that there are numerous Veterans who are transgendered and need and are entitled to health and mental health services from VA. The VA is now, more than ever, becoming sensitive to these needs and policies are being written and re-written to implement a more trans-friendly and respectful attitude towards trans Veterans.

I would encourage any of my trans brothers (and sisters) who read this, and are Veterans, to inquire at their local VA health care systems about services and care for transgendered/transsexual Veterans.

~Theo~