The Sexuality and Gender Alliance organization at ETSU has implemented a fund in the past year to help students seeking transgender affirming care to get the resources they need. The organization’s mission statement makes note that, “contingent on funding, the minimum aim of the TAC fund is to alleviate gender dysphoria and increase gender euphoria for self-identified transgender and non-binary/genderqueer individuals.”

Photo of the TAC Fund announcement flyer. (Contributed/saga_etsu Instagram)

“It’s really touching, like, they would start crying when I told them that they would receive parts of the TAC fund. . . ,” says Yanik Lazarov, graduate advisor for SAGA and organizer of the transgender affirming care fund.

The idea for the fund came about in the spring semester of 2023, when SAGA was combatting legislative conversations revolving around transgender people, most notably whether or not they would be allowed to receive gender-affirming healthcare. SAGA wanted to provide direct support to their members in their journeys, specifically because of the increased financial need in the Appalachian area and a decreased likelihood of their members having the support they need. SAGA also acknowledges that students seeking care may need financial aid if they don’t or can’t work, or are paying for other amenities.

Giving their members the head start to feel more comfortable as themselves was a driving force for SAGA through this fund, which gains it’s assets through donations and sponsorships from others who share this sentiment. SAGA acts as a safe social space for all members of the LGBTQ+ community to feel as though they are accepted as their true selves.

SAGA chooses who receives what funding based on a completed needs assessment, statement of impact and financial need. Differing forms of care also vary in price.

“[Helping other people] just requires talking to your community. Just telling other people and asking them, ‘hey, what do you need in this moment?’ and then we can figure out how to get this done. There is no requirement [necessary] for you to go outside of your comfort zone and go do something good for other people.”

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