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+---
+title: Manifesto of the TransChat project
+x-toc-enable: true
+...
+
+We support self-medication / DIY HRT
+------------------------------------
+
+We believe that a trans person should be able to start hormone therapy
+*whenever they like*.
+
+[We have a page that shows how to take HRT safely, and where to buy it
+on the internet.](hrt-internet.md)
+
+We believe that trans care should be publicly funded
+----------------------------------------------------
+
+In too many cases, transition becomes too expensive so that many people
+can't transition. This is because the public health service in most
+countries is usually underfunded for trans care.
+
+Or non-existent.
+
+Only a trans person knows that they are trans - nobody else
+-----------------------------------------------------------
+
+If you say that you're trans, then you're trans. It's as simple as
+that. No person on earth has the right to disagree with you or to tell
+you that you're not.
+
+Self determination
+------------------
+
+We believe that every person should have complete control over their own
+life; specifically, in the case of trans people, that means that they
+should be able to freely explore their gender identity and/or
+expression, without interference from others.
+
+We are against gatekeeping of any kind, unless for medical reasons. If a
+trans person intends to take hormones, and asks for it from their
+doctor, the doctor should immediately check suitability; blood tests,
+endocrinology exam, etc. This should be done immediately, on a
+fast-track service where the individual gets results the same day, if
+possible, or as early as possible.
+
+We are not against gender-related therapy, but we believe that it should
+be optional. We do not think that seeing a therapist before you get
+hormones, hair removal surgery etc, should be needed.
+
+**We believe that a trans person who wishes to have surgery, should be
+able to get it done, on the very day that they request it, if possible,
+or as soon as possible. Obviously, there are medical checks that need to
+be made and the individual needs to be prepared for it. We think that
+waiting 1+ years for surgery is unacceptable. 1 month at most, is
+acceptable in our opinion, but ideally we'd want surgery to be possibly
+after a few days. This means that we need more trained surgeons.
+Research should be made into proper techniques, e.g. for trans women
+there should be self-lubrication and sufficient depth, etc - we do not
+think that the penile inversion method should ever be used, as
+documented also on our [surgery page](surgery.md).**
+
+A trans person should, if it is safe for them to take hormones, be asked
+what kind of hormones they want; e.g. full dose, low dose,
+antiandrogen/antiestrogen only, etc. So if a trans woman wants to take
+hormones, she should be able to. Same thing for trans men, and
+non-binary people.
+
+We believe that transgender children of puberty age should immediately
+be given puberty blockers, without delay or exception. We believe that
+children of puberty age should be given estrogen or testosterone, if
+they wish. A trans woman of age 12 should be able to start taking
+estrogen, if she wants to. Same thing applies to trans men (for
+testosterone) and non-binary people.
+
+We believe that hormones should be sold over the counter, and available
+to purchase at any pharmacy without a prescription.
+
+We believe that surgery of all kinds (facial, genital, top surgery, etc)
+should be given to trans people of all ages, when they request it. This
+includes children. We believe than an 8 year old trans girl should be
+allowed to have a vagina, or that a trans man should be allowed to have
+a penis at that age. Same for non-binary people, whichever way they are
+going (or nullification, if they choose).
+
+Gatekeeping for non-medical reasons is always transphobic. When a trans
+person is forced to wait while they under go a *real life experience*
+(living in their desired gender, but without the hormones that they
+request), that means someone is stopping them from transitioning the way
+they want - need - to. It's also transphobic because being trans is not
+a mental illness, yet trans people are still, in most countries, forced
+to see a therapist anyway, who has the power to *deny* the possibility
+of transition. Gatekeeping is also commonly cissexist, because the
+therapist will be, in a lot of cases, trying to model their client after
+their own image of what they think a *man or woman* (gatekeepers usually
+erase the existence of non-binary people, and deny non-binary people the
+opportunity to transition) should look like. **Gatekeeping is when a
+trans person cannot transition, because someone is trying to prevent
+them from doing so.**
+
+We are not Social Justice Warriors or SJWs
+------------------------------------------
+
+We are SJDs - Social Justice Diplomats.
+
+We are not looking for a fight, and we are not going to rip peoples
+heads off. We combat anti-transgender culture constructively, by
+attempting to solve problems in a logical way. On our part, that means
+providing the TransChat website, which attempts to provide as much useful
+information as possible, so as to actually help trans people. We're not
+interested in creating any sort of militia, because that never works.
+**We're not talking about respectability politics. We do not conform to
+societal norms, and we strongly oppose them.**
+
+Being a diplomat doesn't mean being nice. It just means that we don't
+fight with swords. We use words, and intelligent conversation.
+
+Our style of politics is through influence and diplomacy. We'll get
+nowhere by following a *jihad* approach to trans activism. We will
+progress by:
+
+-   Educating people properly, both cis and trans, about gender issues
+-   Providing the trans community with useful information about
+    transitioning, while providing a safe space to chat in (we have IRC
+    channels, and we are on the Facebook)
+-   Working productively with government to influence political
+    decisions and legislation - regardless of political affiliation. In
+    the UK for instance, we are happy to work with Conservatives,
+    Liberal Democrats, Labour party, UKIP, Green party, etc, to help
+    encourage positive changes in, for example, how NHS provides trans
+    care or how schools are guided on helping transgender students, etc.
+-   Leading by example; living our own lives, and being as open and free
+    as possible, demonstrating to others that we're OK and that being
+    trans is OK and that transitioning is OK, that there is nothing
+    wrong with us.
+
+At the same time, we also won't tolerate abuse. People who are in any way
+bigoted or abusive in our communities, as per our [AUP](aup.md), will be banned
+and removed immediately.
+
+We are OK with underground surgeons
+-----------------------------------
+
+Surgery is *illegal* in some countries. In many places all
+over the world, surgeries are performed without legal authority. We consider
+*underground* surgeries to be entirely valid. As with any other surgeon, you
+should always make sure that your surgeon will will do a good job.
+
+Surgery is prohibitively expensive, in most countries, and is often
+subject to harsh restrictions, which means that trans people often wait
+years before they are allowed vital surgery which could literally save
+their life (by reducing their dysphoria, for instance, [if they have
+dysphoria](gender-euphoria.md)).
+
+We do not name any on this website, because they usually do not want
+their names known. That's the whole point of being underground.
+
+An underground surgeon will usually perform surgery for less charge than
+with registered surgeons, and they will not restrict access to their
+services. Of course, it's illegal and since it's basically the black
+market, you have to be very careful, especially in making sure that the
+person you see does a good job.
+
+For some people, it is the only option. We will not judge harshly - or
+at all - on people who see an underground surgeon. It is your choice
+what you do with your body.
+
+We are also OK with underground surgeons being members of our community.
+