Support Groups

In addition to building up our in-person offerings around the state once more, MaineTransNet continues to offer online support groups using Google Meet. Click on these links to find an instructional video or written instructions on how to use this platform. The calendar below includes both online and in-person meetings: click for details and to add a meeting to your own calendar!

 

Guidelines for MaineTransNet’s Online Support Groups

 

  1. Before all else, treat each other with kindness. This is a non-judgemental space. Respect one another’s life experiences, points of view, identities, and presentations.

  2. Try to maintain confidentiality by taking your device into a private room. If you are not currently in a private room, please hang up and rejoin the meeting when you have moved. The same goes for phone calls, or someone entering the room. 

  3. Along those lines, what’s said in here stays in here! Also, please refrain from discussing people who are NOT here by name. If you see someone from this meeting out and about, please pretend you don’t know them unless you have previously confirmed that it’s ok to greet them. This will keep you from accidentally outing anyone! 

  4. Avoid explicitly sexual or violent language. Failure to abide by this guideline may result in you being asked to leave. 

  5. No unsolicited advice. If you want advice, please say so. 

  6. Avoid generalizations (generally speaking.) Speak from your own experience and don’t make sweeping statements like “All trans people do this” or “All cis people are like that.”

  7. No cross-talk. This is essential, but also challenging in a digital space. We all have to try our best not to talk over or interrupt each other. 

  8. Take space, make space. This is a short way of saying that if you tend to talk very little, don’t be afraid to speak up! If you tend to talk a lot, try to make sure you’re not dominating the conversation and allow others to speak. A little silence isn’t a bad thing, and many people need that pause in order to feel like they can speak. 

  9. If you are accessing this meeting on a web browser, please post your name and pronouns in the “chat” to help the facilitator remember who’s who! 

  10. Exit the meeting site when the meeting ends.

  11. Don’t give out any personal information!