FORGE has taken the mystery out of how to support a trans survivor by creating and sharing a card that you can hand a survivor telling them the ways in which you are prepared to support them. Especially during these particularly tense times because of COVID-19, political turmoil, and social injustice, the trans people in your life could likely use support.
Many trans and non-binary people have experienced trauma. If your first thought when someone you know tells you they have experienced trauma is: “I don’t know what to say!” FORGE has a card that can help. Our free “I’m here for you!” cards list eight simple things anyone can do for and with a trauma survivor that are designed to show your support for them. The card says, “I’d be happy to…
- Go for a walk with you
- Get some coffee/tea
- Make art/get crafty together
- Listen to music with you
- Run an errand for you
- Hang out/watch a movie
- Just check in
- Make a meal together
Simply check off what you are willing to do and/or write in your own suggestions, and then give the trauma survivor the card along with how to contact you. Some of these activities may look different if you’re sending the card to someone outside of your “COVID bubble.” You could adapt them to say, “Talk on the phone while we both go for a walk,” “Do crafts/have coffee/make a meal together over Zoom”!
Although the cards were designed for use with trans/non-binary sexual assault survivors, we encourage you to use them to be kind and supportive to any person you care about who is in need. Drop us a note about how many cards you’d like us to send you (or what else we can share with you).
P.S. You can be here for FORGE on December 1, #Giving Tuesday.