The Southern Arizona Gender Alliance (SAGA) envisions a society where transgender and transsexual people are ensured of their basic rights and can be open, honest, and safe at home, at work, and in the community.
To achieve this goal, SAGA offers support, social, and discussion groups that reflect the various aspects of gender and society. We also provide educational forums and trainings for businesses, service providers, and community members to learn more about the issues facing transgender, transsexual, intersex, and gender-variant people and their significant others, friends, families, and allies, and we provide information on how our allies can be supportive and inclusive.
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Let's do it again! It's time for our Independence Day Celebration on the 4th of July at my house. It's an opportunity for each of us to celebrate our personal independence and spend a holiday together.
Bring yourselves, swimwear and a towel if you wish to swim, a lawn chair if you have one, and deviled eggs or some other sort of food to share if you are able. We'll start around 3 p.m. and party until dusk, and then you'll probably want to head off for someplace where you can see fireworks better than you can see them from my house.
Once again I'll provide kosher hot dogs and trimmings, maybe bbq chicken legs, water and ice and soft drinks, plates and cups and napkins and plasticware. You'll provide the deviled eggs and other assorted items such as chips and dips, salads, and desserts. I've got several chairs, but never enough for everyone who comes to this party.
Location is 4716 E. Third Street, second house east of Swan on the south side of Third St. Cross-streets Speedway and Swan or Swan and Fifth. Easy to find.
Don't let the lack of deviled eggs or lawn chair prevent you from coming. The most important ingredient in this party is every one of you! It wouldn't be the same without you!
I'm looking forward to celebrating independence with all of you once again!
With the trans community becoming more and more visible, this would be a great month to get to know your SAGA community. The General Meeting is the first Monday of the month at 7:00pm at Wingspan, and is always open to all: transgender, transsexual, gender queer, gender-questioning people, and their significant others, friends, families, and allies.
Come help serve hot meals to homeless youth at Eon Youth Lounge. We provide a nourishing menu every month on the second Wednesday from 4:00 to 6:00 This is an excellent opportunity to be of service at the same time you connect with other SAGA members. If you are interested in being part of this ongoing project contact Sharon Schubitzke at
As many of you know, when I moved to Tucson in July of 2001, I sought out Wingspan. It was not quite as grand and glorious back then. It was in a smaller space on 6th street.
I was greeted by two wonderful volunteers on a Sunday afternoon. They showed me around the place and offered me some resources. They hooked me up with SAGA, and within two months I was volunteering regularly at Wingspan.
I had the glamorous job of filing and data entry on Friday mornings. I knew it was a community center and my community center. I knew I wanted to help out. It seemed important. I continued to volunteer for Wingspan as a board member and at SAGA from that time until last fall.
Last September, I was hired at Wingspan. I was excited—I’ve wanted to work here since I arrived. I did not know when I started that we would be facing economic catastrophes. It has been a tough ten months. I’ve watched us struggle with decreased revenues. We have held painful meetings about difficult changes. We have lost far too many coworkers. Programs have shrunk. We have all struggled to fill in gaps.
Over the past eight months, we’ve modified my role by weaving SAGA into my work with AVP and Eon, while continuing SAGA’s other programs and support groups.
Recent grant losses and/or funding reductions have altered this delicate balance. Last Friday, I learned that my job will be reduced to 24 hours per week on July 1st.
SAGA member and Wingspan Volunteer Sharon Schubitzke was honored with the Lavina Tomer Truth to Power Award at a ceremony at the Wingspan Volunteer Appreciation party on Sunday, June 7. The award recognizes a Wingspan volunteer who has confronted oppression and refused to be silenced.
In connection with this award, Sharon was interviewed by Mari Herreras for the Tucson Weekly. The interview in the June 11 issue is also here.
Look for an article by Ernesto Portillo about Sharon and the Lavina Tomer Truth to Power award in the Arizona Daily Star on Sunday.
On May 17th, Erin Russ gave a presentation on behalf of SAGA and Wingspan, at the Center for Inquiry, covering issues of concerns of the transgender community: exclusion, medical access, etc. One of SAGA's many allies was there with a video camera, recording it all for us to see.
Once more Tucson celebrated Transgender Awareness Week from November 12 - 23, 2008. Sylvia Guerrero was the featured speaker, presenting the film ”Trained in the Ways of Men.“
Trans Awareness Week came about because our friend, Jessica Pettitt, believed that if trans folks only got to be in the spotlight once a year, it wasn’t right that the Day of Remembrance gave the world only a tragic view of our lives and struggles, and left no room for celebrating the talent, beauty, and diversity that is the trans and allied community.
There are several issues and some flaws in our communities' ways of working through our own very difficult and often confusing journeys. I've heard several respected therapists who work with transgender people suggest treating us for PTSD or severe grief reactions. I'm not sure that is called for with all of us but I do think we (trans folk) often minimize the challenges and losses we face.
A new series of web sites has opened, providing mentoring support to newly actualized transgender people. From the site's portal:
There are so many questions when you are just starting out with transitioning, and finding answers isn't always easy when scattered all over the internet world. We all needed answers and support when we began our transitions.
TransMentors International gives individuals a means of communicating with and meeting with local transgender men, women and teens who are willing to support and encourage you in your respective journeys.
The Palm Center at the University of California, Santa Barbara has released the findings of a survey, conducted by Transgender American Veterans Association (TAVA), that shows that transgender veterans are being turned away and being mistreated in high numbers by Veterans Administration medical facilities. The survey of 827 U.S. military veterans and active-duty personnel mark the first major empirical findings on transgender people in the military. This represents a strong sampling from what is estimated to be approximately 300,000 veterans in the US who identify as being transgender.
Pima Community Access Program (PCAP) offers an affordable health insurance option for individuals and employers. Pima County residents who can't afford health insurance or work where health benefits are not offered may be eligible if they earn too much to qualify for Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS). Under the income guidelines, a family of four can earn up to $51,625 a year.
We've instituted a new area on the SAGA web site, where we will be publishing (or linking to) extraordinary essays and rants by members of the organization.
To visit our new Blog section, select "Blogs" from the menu on the right, or alternatively, click here.
If you have an essay or article you would like to submit for consideration, mail it to
Diane Steen has completed her survey of the procedures for making name and gender changes to birth certificates, in each of the U.S. states and Canadian provinces. Go to "Resources" and press "Birth Certificate Changes" or click here for a thorough analysis of what it takes to change your birth certificate in each state and province.
The Southern Arizona Gender Alliance (SAGA) envisions a society where transgender and transsexual people are ensured of their basic rights and can be open, honest, and safe at home, at work, and in the community.
In connection with this award, Sharon was interviewed by Mari Herreras for the Tucson Weekly. The interview in the June 11 issue is also 
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