Guidelines and Consent for GDSN Support meetings

Please read through the information below and feel free to ask questions about our sessions and/or anything about us. These guidelines and your agreement (by registering for any meeting), will cover all meetings that you attend in the future. If you do have any questions, please contact info@genderdysphoriasupportnetwork.com

What is GDSN support?

The GDSN offers a unique type of support where a group of people who are experiencing similar challenges come together to share their difficulties which as a result offers the opportunity for participants to share information and support.

We make sure to maintain a safe environment, that is conducive, both for sharing and accepting each other, where each can grow and trust one another and where everybody will feel respected and valued.

Confidentiality

We respect each and everyone's right to privacy and confidentiality but please note, we ask for, but cannot guarantee, confidentiality between group members.

Additionally, please understand that legal and ethical exceptions to confidentiality require that the facilitator take responsible action in situations such as:

  • Threatening oneself or another that may result in physical harm

  • An act of physical or emotional abuse against a child or any person

  • Sexual abuse against a child where the child is living with the abuser

  • Whenever we are summoned by court order to disclose information against a participant. However, we shall notify you and let you exercise your privilege in the right to deny the disclosure of your records with us

  • Your prior written consent to release records

For safety, it is necessary that the following is required to be complied with by participants:

  • Discussions within meetings should not be discussed outside with anyone and participants should maintain the practice of confidentiality to build trust with fellow members

  • Participants should maintain positivity and not induce disrespect among others

  • Participants should not be drunk or under the influence of drugs

  • Participants should maintain conduct that respects fellow participants’ thoughts, emotions, or behaviour

  • Participants must not record any meeting content without the explicit permission of all participants

Consent

By registering online for any of our meetings, you are agreeing to adhere to the norms and expectations for the GDSN support meetings as indicated above. You therefore acknowledge that you have had the opportunity to ask questions and such questions were answered clearly and to your satisfaction. You may withdraw this consent and terminate your meeting attendance at any time for any reason.

Conduct During Meetings

  • Everyone at the GDSN has experienced challenges with someone else’s gender dysphoria.

  • We host weekly online peer support meetings where we come together to bear witness to each other’s experiences.

  • Everyone at the meeting shares as an equal. While none of us are experts, the collective wisdom of the group provides valuable learning opportunities for all participants.

  • Advice can often feel empowering to give but it may feel disempowering to receive. Information and resources are often shared, but you’re best placed to evaluate how helpful that is to your situation. Please take what is helpful and leave the rest.

  • Confidentiality is key and we request that everyone at the meeting respects the confidentiality of information shared and does not repeat anything that is said when they have left the meeting. The confidentiality, privacy and anonymity of each member should be respected at all times, both online and in real life. 

  • Everyone will have the opportunity to speak, and you are free to ask questions. If you’d rather just listen, you can say “I pass,” or explain that you’d just like to listen. If you feel anyone is struggling to have a voice, or that the discussion is drifting, it is ok to check in with the group, or ask another group member if they would like to speak.

  • We recognise that participants may not agree with one another but that’s OK. We are all in a unique position and so others may not understand our particular point of view. It is essential that we provide space for everyone and respect that different people are at different points in their understanding of gender distress.

  • We acknowledge that parents can feel torn between remaining truthful with their child and, at the same time, desperately trying to maintain a relationship. In our meetings, participants are free to use whichever names and pronouns they wish. We discourage monitoring of pronouns among our members.

  • Our meetings focus on emotional support and so discussion of politics and activism will be discouraged.

  • As gender distress is notably under-researched, many participants feel isolated with their knowledge of this difficult condition so solidarity and further connection beyond the regular meetings can be helpful for some.

  • Sometimes issues may arise that require support that is beyond the scope of a peer support group. If this happens, rest assured that we'll make every effort to provide guidance on accessing further assistance beyond the GDSN.