Our Story

Trans Support NL Inc. (TSNL) was officially incorporated in September 2017 by Tj Jones, Dr. Julie Temple, and Sara Pinsent. Our goal was to improve our ability to support the trans community of NL through our two existing initiatives: 

1. Continuing to connect the community by sustaining and expanding the work of trans-specific support groups existing in the city under the wing of Parents of Trans & Gender Diverse Kids – NL (founded by Julie), and 

2. The betterment of systems and institutions that present ongoing challenges to Two Spirit, non binary, trans, and gender diverse people by providing awareness and inclusion training to service providers across the province.

At the time of incorporation we were facilitating three groups – the Parents Group (PTGDK), the Trans Youth Group (TYG), and the Gender Creative Kids Playgroup (GCKPG). Since, TSNL has supported folks in Grand Falls-Windsor and Corner Brook in establishing chapters of parent-focused groups in both towns and a young adult-focused group on the West Coast, begun a Trans Adult Group here in St. John’s, and collaborated with First Light to begin a Two-Spirit group.

We continue to aim to be a support system for the development of other groups across Newfoundland and Labrador, and look forward to collaborating with others to continue bringing this needed resource to the rest of our province. 

Alongside the development of this peer support network, Julie, Tj, and Logan (upon joining as a trainer and director in 2018) continued developing their reputations and presence as accessible, knowledgeable, and engaging trainers and presenters through the sharing of their lived experience, passion, and dedication to improving the experiences of trans youth and adults within their education and healthcare systems.

To date they have been invited to present and/or facilitate professional development training for nurses, doctors, psychiatrists, Eastern Health executives, social workers, guidance counsellors, principals, early childhood educators in NL and PEI, child and youth care workers, government employees, and various provincial and national conferences. 

The current Board of Julie, Logan, and Tj (all of whom wear many hats within TSNL), along with two advisory chairs filled by allies in the medical and educational systems, endeavour to sustain this work through grant applications, fundraising, advocacy, and training, and to ultimately help contribute to making NL more accessible for all trans, non-binary, Two-Spirit, and gender diverse Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.