“Mahatma Gandi said that ‘a nation's greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members.’ To that end, we have a lot of work to do.

As a trans woman, I feel this country has failed my trans and gender diverse counterparts. We have especially failed those amongst them whose identities intersect with other minorities.

The impact of insidious trauma is felt deep inside the body, the mind and the soul. When our souls bend and break we often look to mental healthcare providers to guide us back to ourselves.

And yet this field has historically pathologized us. This field has consistently been the gate-keeper of our liberation and joy. We have had to defend our visibility and, like all minorities, bear the brunt of educating those around us when they get it wrong. Even conscientious healthcare systems that provide access to gender affirming care often overlook the behavioral needs of those who society oppresses. In short, healthcare systems become yet another place in which we feel unsafe, underserved and misunderstood.

Two phrases we hear all the time in the behavioral health and addiction recovery fields are: “meet the client where they’re at” and “trauma-informed care”. Yet, the details of our lived experiences and the traumas we endure are rarely reflected in clinical worldviews or even in the operational processes of the providers.

The Rainbow Transformations Foundation is committed to addressing the disproportionately elevated risk of mental health and addiction problems in the trans and gender diverse communities by providing and improving access to quality, affirming options.”

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Hana Leyland

Executive Director, The Rainbow Transformations Foundation