Lending Libraries

genderlibrary.co.uk - A website for anyone (but set up with LGBT+ people in mind) to borrow books across the UK. It’s free, postage is paid for, and you get to borrow the book for a month. You’ll get an email with a deadline for returns, which can be extended if necessary.

GCLL makes access to trans and queer literature easy and hassle-free. Sometimes it can be difficult trying to borrow LGBT+ books, especially if it means you have to go to the library to ask for it in person. Borrowing books online means that you can avoid doing anything that might make you feel unsafe or uncomfortable if you had to do it in person.

This service is not just for trans and queer people, but it is made by trans and queer people, so that the rest of the community can gain access to literature that would otherwise be hard to get a hold of.

At first, GCLL focused on collecting books about Transgender studies. The importance of the information gained from such studies cannot be understated, and it’s equally as important that we retain this information so that it can be passed onto future generations, and so the cycle continues.

GCLL is more than just a lending library though. If you’re over 18 and live in the UK, then you can also become a Penpal!

Having the option to join the Penpal scheme is a really empowering choice. It enables you to become less isolated, reach out and make other trans friends, and express yourself around someone who is more likely to be accepting of who you really are.

It can often be very helpful to be able to take the time to write out your thoughts on paper, after which your letter is first mailed to GCLL, then to your new Penpal. Their Penpal page describes the whole process in detail, as well as including a Behaviour Policy that you need to read and agree to before applying to become a Penpal. This ensures that everyone inside the Penpal scheme feels safe and like their needs are being appropriately met.

Finally, you can Donate to GCLL to help keep things running smoothly. What GCLL does is incredibly beneficial to the LGBT+ community, and your support ensures that they can keep doing this valuable work as a non-profit organisation.

Trans Support Groups UK

• TransUnite - A way to find a support group in your area. The support groups listed below are taken from the TransUnite database.

• The Clare Project - A support group based in Brighton. They run social drop-ins that are both online and in person, as well as offering a twice-monthly workshop. They also offer a neurodivergent group, several 1:1 support options, and continue to create many resources for the community.

• Transgender Fife - They hold meetings on the first Saturday of every month in either Kirkcaldy and Dunfermline, as well as in Cupar. Meetings in Cupar are planned to happen on the third Thursday (evening) of every month.

• Derbyshire LGBT+ - They offer meetings at a variety of locations across Derbyshire, including at dedicated LGBT+ centres in both Chesterfield and Derby. Various services include: LGBT+ Youth Groups, Trans Social support groups, GBT+ Mens Groups, LGBT+ Womens Group, Families Group, LGBT+ Over 50s Groups, Sexual Health support, Hate Crime advocacy and support, and support for LGBT+ people seeking Asylum. There are 5 drop-ins a week at 3 different locations.

• Be: Trans Support and Community - They offer meetings in Newcastle upon Tyne every Tuesday, between 6:00 and 8:00pm.

• This is Me social group (Tim’s) - This group is run every 3rd Sunday of the month between 2:00 and 5:00pm, and is held in Moulton Northampton.

• TranSutton - Open to trans people who live or work in Sutton, Banstead, Epsom and Ewell and surrounding areas, TransSutton meets up twice a month.

• Forge - Forge is a support group based in Manchester for people over 18, including trans men, transmasculine people, and non-binary people who were assigned female at birth (AFAB). Forge meets on the fourth Monday of every month from 6:00 to 8:00pm.

• Surrey Transgender Support - A new group that meets at therapy gardens in Normandy near Guildford. They meet on the last Saturday of every month, and meetings last from 6:00 to 10:00pm.

• TransMCR - Hosted by LGBT Foundation’s Trans Programme, TransMCR is a monthly event consisting of five different workshops, as well as having a community café for people to generally relax and socialise together. They meet once a month between 12:00 to 5:00pm in Manchester.

• Time for T - A peer directed support group who meet monthly in the Isle of Wight, between 6:00 and 9:00pm. They’re run by Age UK IW, and offer social support, professional services, and even pamper events and swimming sessions.

• Trans* Gloucester - They meet on Sundays, every two weeks in Gloucester, between 1:00 and 4:00pm.

• Trans Invasion - This group meets on every third Friday at 8:00pm. Trans Invasion is for over 18s only, as they meet up for pub crawls and nights out regularly.

• The Rainbow Project - They operate from Northern Island and have centres in both Belfast city centre and Foyle, L’Derry. They’re a drop-in centre that operates weekly. Services they offer include: Co-Cultural Counselling, Befriending, Youth Services (L/Derry), Free Rapid HIV Testing and Syphilis Testing, Personal Development, Family Support, and an Advocacy Service

• Trans Masculine Birmingham - Trans Masculine Birmingham (TMB) is a peer-to-peer support group for adults only (18 or over) and is run be a committee team that rotates once a year. They meet on the third Monday of every month in Birmingham, from 6:00 to 8:00pm.

• Allsorts Youth Project - They have three different groups, so that the needs of many types of trans people can be met. Their Parents & Carers group (Brighton) is run by parents and careers who have experience in supporting trans youth, but is for trans youth to meet up and share experiences with one other. Drop In is for LGBT+ people aged 16-25 and meets every Tuesday in Brighton. They give young people access to youth support workers, as well as providing you with the opportunity to participate in different workshops and activities. TAG is for LGBT+ people aged 11-15, and meets twice a month on Fridays, also in Brighton.

• Older LGBT Group - For anyone over 50, they offer various activities and events, training for organisations, and campaigns to improve things for older trans people. They have three daytime drop-ins a month, on the first Wednesday, Thursday and Tuesday of each month. The location of each meet-up is stated on the TransUnite website, but are generally near Hove, England. The times of each meet-up differ depending on the day and location.

• The Rainbow Café - For LGBTQ people concerned about memory loss or dementia. They meet on the second Tuesday of every month, at 7:00pm in Brighton.

• Mind Out - They have open and closed groups based in Brighton, that work to support LGBT+ people with a variety of issues, including mental health issues or suicidal thoughts. They also have meet-ups for people who belong to minority groups or who have varying identities, including a BAME group and a Bi group, amongst other groups that have been listed on their page on the TransUnite website.

• Navigate Brighton - Navigate is a group for trans men, transmasculine people, genderqueer people, non-binary people, AFAB people that fit somewhere else on the spectrum, and anyone generally questioning their gender identity. They meet on the first Wednesday of every month from 7:00 to 9:00pm, and the third Saturday of every month from 3:00 to 5:00pm.

If you have any issues with the websites listed here, or want us to include other websites, feel free to get in touch via email, Reddit, or the comments section of any of our blog posts.