Trans & Queer Emergency Resource List
A Living Document Curated by Editor-in-Chief Connor Wolfe
Dear Readers,
Over the past few weeks, we’ve received countless messages asking for more resources following our articles on trans rights, security, and survival. We hear you. We know the stakes. And we know that having access to trusted resources can mean the difference between safety and vulnerability.
So today, we’re sharing something critical: a comprehensive guide to legal aid, healthcare, mutual aid, mental health support, housing assistance, and more. These are the organizations and networks that we trust—community-led, trans-affirming, and built for moments like this.
In solidarity
--Connor Wolfe
(They/Them) Founder of Wayfarer Magazine & Wayfarer Books
EMERGENCY SUPPORT & CRISIS HOTLINES
» Trans Lifeline – translifeline.org – U.S.: 877-565-8860 | Canada: 877-330-6366
A trans-led crisis hotline offering peer support and micro-grants for trans people in urgent need.
» LGBT National Help Center – lgbthotline.org – 888-843-4564
Confidential peer support for LGBTQIA+ individuals of all ages.
» The Trevor Project – thetrevorproject.org – 866-488-7386 or text “START” to 678-678
A suicide prevention and crisis intervention resource specifically for LGBTQIA+ youth.
» StrongHearts Native Helpline – strongheartshelpline.org – 844-762-8483
A culturally appropriate helpline for Indigenous LGBTQ2S+ individuals facing domestic and sexual violence.
» RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) – rainn.org – 800-656-4673
The nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization with LGBTQIA+ inclusive support.
LEGAL RESOURCES & KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
» Transgender Law Center (TLC) – transgenderlawcenter.org
Provides legal advocacy and resources to fight anti-trans legislation and protect civil rights.
» Lambda Legal – lambdalegal.org
Offers legal assistance and policy advocacy for LGBTQ+ and HIV+ individuals.
» ACLU LGBTQ+ Rights Project – aclu.org/issues/lgbtq-rights
Defends LGBTQ+ rights through litigation and policy advocacy.
» Sylvia Rivera Law Project (SRLP) – srlp.org
Free legal help for low-income trans, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming people, particularly BIPOC.
» GLAD (GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders) – glad.org
Works on trans legal protections, discrimination cases, and healthcare access.
LGBTQIA+ HEALTHCARE & MEDICAL RESOURCES
» Planned Parenthood (LGBTQ+ Services) – plannedparenthood.org
Offers gender-affirming hormone therapy and sexual health care at many locations.
» World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) – wpath.org
Provides global standards of care for transgender healthcare.
» Callen-Lorde Community Health Center – callen-lorde.org
An LGBTQ+ health center offering affordable trans-inclusive medical and mental health care.
» The Jim Collins Foundation – jimcollinsfoundation.org
Provides grants for gender-affirming surgeries for those who cannot afford them.
» Point of Pride – pointofpride.org
Provides free binders, femme shapewear, and financial aid for gender-affirming care.
MENTAL HEALTH & WELLNESS SUPPORT
» National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA) – nqapia.org
Mental health resources specifically for Queer and Trans Asian Pacific Islanders (QTAPI).
» The National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center – lgbtqiahealtheducation.org
Provides mental health and trauma-informed care resources.
» Inclusive Therapists – inclusivetherapists.com
A directory of LGBTQ+ affirming therapists, including those specializing in BIPOC mental health.
» Therapy for Black Girls (LGBTQIA+ Support) – therapyforblackgirls.com
Culturally competent therapy resources, including LGBTQIA+ Black women and nonbinary folks.
» The Okra Project – theokraproject.com
Mental health recovery and food support specifically for Black trans individuals.
MUTUAL AID & COMMUNITY SUPPORT
» For The Gworls – forthegworls.party
Provides rent and gender-affirming surgery assistance for Black trans people.
» Black Trans Advocacy Coalition (BTAC) – blacktrans.org
Offers housing, employment support, and healthcare resources for Black trans people.
» Emergency Release Fund – emergencyreleasefund.com
Provides bail assistance for trans people in NYC, particularly trans women of color.
» Marsha P. Johnson Institute – marshap.org
Offers financial aid, community organizing, and advocacy for Black trans people.
» Trans Housing Coalition – transhousingcoalition.org
Helps trans people experiencing homelessness secure safe housing.
INTERNATIONAL LGBTQIA+ SUPPORT
» ILGA World – ilga.org
Advocates for global LGBTQIA+ rights and provides country-specific legal resources.
» Transgender Europe (TGEU) – tgeu.org
A European advocacy group providing legal and healthcare resources for trans people.
» Rainbow Railroad – rainbowrailroad.org
Helps LGBTQ+ individuals escape persecution and relocate to safer countries.
» Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice – astraeafoundation.org
Funds global LGBTQ+ grassroots activism and community organizing.
» OutRight International – outrightinternational.org
Provides emergency grants and advocacy for LGBTQIA+ people facing violence and displacement worldwide.
HOUSING & SHELTER
» Trans Housing Coalition – Housing for trans people, especially Black & Brown individuals.
» The Ali Forney Center – Housing for LGBTQIA+ homeless youth.
» True Colors United – LGBTQIA+ youth homelessness prevention.
» My Sistah’s House – Housing support for Black trans women.
» Open House (SF) – LGBTQIA+ senior housing.
EMPLOYMENT & JOB SUPPORT
» Trans Work – Connecting trans people with affirming employers.
» The Transgender District (SF) – Job training & career placement.
» Trans Can Work – Employment assistance for trans individuals.
EDUCATION & SCHOLARSHIPS
» Trans Student Educational Resources (TSER) Scholarships – Database of trans-specific scholarships.
» Campus Pride Trans Scholarship List – LGBTQIA+ student financial aid.
» Jim Collins Foundation – Grants for gender-affirming surgery.
FINANCIAL AID
» Trans Empowerment Project – Emergency funds & legal support for trans people.
INTERNATIONAL ASYLUM & SAFE RELOCATION
ORAM (Refugee, Asylum & Migration Support) – Legal & resettlement help for LGBTQIA+ refugees.
Trans Asylum Seeker Support Network (TASSN) – Support for trans asylum seekers.
Refugee Action (UK) – LGBTQIA+ refugee housing & legal aid.
The Importance of Staying Secure Online
Staying secure online is critical, especially for trans and queer communities facing increased surveillance, doxxing, and targeted harassment. Below is a comprehensive guide to secure tools and practices meant to protect privacy and maintain safety.
SECURE MESSING & CALLING APPS
» Signal – signal.org
End-to-end encrypted messaging, voice, and video calls.
No ads, metadata protection, and open-source security.
Best for: Private conversations, organizing, whistleblowing.
» Session – getsession.org
Anonymous, decentralized messaging app with no phone number required.
Messages are routed through multiple nodes, hiding your location.
Best for: Highly anonymous communication.
» Threema – threema.ch (Paid, but highly secure)
No phone number or email needed—fully anonymous.
Swiss-based with strong privacy laws.
Best for: Privacy-first group chats.
» Element (Matrix Protocol) – element.io
Encrypted, decentralized messaging—does not rely on a single company.
Can be self-hosted for maximum security.
Best for: Secure community spaces and activism groups.
» Jitsi Meet – meet.jit.si
Encrypted video conferencing without needing an account.
No data collection, browser-based (no app required).
Best for: Anonymous video meetings.
AVOID: WhatsApp (metadata tracking), Facebook Messenger (not encrypted by default), and Telegram (encryption is optional and not default).
SECURE EMAIL SERVICES
» ProtonMail – proton.me
End-to-end encrypted email with no logging or tracking.
Swiss-based, strong legal protections.
Best for: Private emails, activism communication.
» Tutanota – tutanota.com
Fully encrypted email service based in Germany.
Includes secure calendar & contacts.
Best for: Anonymous email accounts.
AVOID: Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook (they scan your emails and can be subpoenaed easily).
SECURE WEB BROWSING & ONLINE ANONYMITY
» Tor Browser – torproject.org
Routes your internet traffic through multiple servers, making tracking nearly impossible.
Essential for anonymous research and communication.
Best for: Avoiding surveillance, accessing censored sites.
» Brave Browser – brave.com
Blocks trackers, ads, and fingerprinting.
Offers Tor integration for anonymous browsing.
Best for: Private, secure browsing with minimal speed loss.
» DuckDuckGo Search – duckduckgo.com
Private search engine that doesn’t track searches.
Best for: Searching without Google tracking.
AVOID: Google Chrome (tracks and logs everything), Microsoft Edge, Safari (less secure).
VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORKS (VPNs) FOR EXTRA PRIVACY
» Mullvad VPN – mullvad.net
Most anonymous VPN (allows cash payments, no account needed).
No logging, no tracking, and based in Sweden (strong privacy laws).
Best for: Avoiding ISP tracking and location masking.
» ProtonVPN – protonvpn.com
No logs, Swiss-based, works well with Tor.
Best for: Secure web browsing and accessing censored content.
» IVPN – ivpn.net
Supports anonymous sign-ups, no logging.
Multi-hop encryption for extra security.
Best for: Activists and journalists.
AVOID: Free VPNs (many sell your data). NordVPN and ExpressVPN are better than nothing but are not as anonymous as the options above.
PASSWORD & ACCOUNT SECURITY
» Bitwarden – bitwarden.com (Free & Open-Source)
Secure password manager with end-to-end encryption.
Auto-generates strong passwords.
Best for: Keeping all logins secure and unique.
» 1Password – 1password.com (Paid but excellent security)
Multi-device password storage with secure sharing features.
Best for: Teams or organizing groups needing shared secure access.
» Hardware Security Keys (YubiKey or OnlyKey) – yubico.com / onlykey.io
Most secure way to protect logins (prevents phishing).
Best for: High-risk activists, journalists, and trans organizers.
AVOID: Using the same password everywhere, security questions that reveal personal info, and Google Password Manager (logs data).
ANONYMOUS FILE SHARING & STORAGE
» OnionShare – onionshare.org
Fully anonymous file-sharing via the Tor network.
No central server, no tracking.
Best for: Sharing sensitive documents securely.
» CryptPad – cryptpad.fr
Encrypted Google Docs alternative with real-time collaboration.
Best for: Secure activist organizing.
» Tresorit – tresorit.com
Zero-knowledge encrypted cloud storage.
Best for: Storing personal & sensitive files securely.
The TAKEAWAY / Next Steps:
» Use Signal or Session for messages—not SMS or Telegram.
» Use ProtonMail or Tutanota for email—not Gmail or Outlook.
» Browse with Tor or Brave—avoid Chrome.
» Use a VPN like Mullvad or ProtonVPN—don’t rely on Incognito mode.
» Use a password manager and enable 2FA (preferably with a hardware key).
» Never share personal details openly on public forums or social media.
Connor Wolfe (they/them) is a writer, publisher, and advocate whose work spans over two decades and fourteen titles, originally published under the pen name L.M. Browning. Their literary contributions have earned six Pushcart Prize nominations, the Gold Nautilus Medal for Poetry, multiple Foreword Review Book Awards, and the Nautilus Silver Medal in 2022. Their innovative approach to independent publishing led to two terms on the Board of Directors for the Independent Book Publishers Association, a TEDx talk at Yale University, and a degree at Harvard University through grant programs.
Wolfe is a lifelong advocate for mental health, trans rights, and radical authenticity—the act of breaking silence to reclaim power. After their TEDx Talk in 2018, they stepped into national conversations on mental illness, trauma, and the intersection of art and survival. Holding a degree in Abnormal Psychology, their work examines how creativity and mental illness shape one another. Their studies in Photojournalism under Samantha Appleton sharpened their ability to bear witness—to capture the unspoken, the unseen, the truths too often buried.
In 2024, Wolfe volunteered in the Collections Department of the Museum of Anthropology at Ghost Ranch, assisting in the preparation of sacred objects for repatriation under the newly updated Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. After wintering along the Rio Puerco on Cerro Pedernal, they are now traveling through the San Juan Mountains with their three-legged black cat, Momo—documenting, writing, and remaining in motion, as all revolutionaries must.
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