A new initiative called @tranSanta is allowing people around the country (and the world!) to anonymously fulfill the holiday wish lists of trans youth. The project was founded by Indya Moore (FX’s “Pose”) and trans/intersex organizers Kyle Lasky, Chase Strangio, and Pidgeon Pagonis as a way to bring holiday cheer to the lives of trans youth during a particularly difficult year.
“This year has been so stressful and especially for trans folks,” Moore posted on their personal account. “Trans issues don’t receive much visibility or attention unfortunately, but this year has been the most violent and deadly for my community. It has been very upsetting. So one day my eldest and one if my most beloved loved ones and i flushed and cried About it and decided we needed to do something for the young ones.”
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TranSanta works as a platform for trans youth to share their desires — anything as small as a kitchen appliance to something as big as money for top surgery — through a public Instagram post on the project’s page. From there, generous donors (or Santas) can click-through to purchase items for the writer via a Target registry.
“Please consider visiting the page and reading the heartwarming lists some youth have left, if you are interested in supporting please consider becoming a Santa and filling wish lists for young trans youth in need, point trans youth to this ig, and/or ask your friends and family to get some gifts for the kids!” reads Moore’s Instagram post.
For those who want to join in and be a Santa this holiday, all you have to do is go to the TranSanta Instagram page, where letters to Santa from trans youth are posted by the project. If you find yourself connecting deeply with a specific letter, you can click the link in the Instagram bio and find that specific post on the pop-up page. From there, you’ll be transferred to the Target registry for that specific post; all the items have been reserved, so all you have to do is choose the items and check out, choosing “recipient’s address” at checkout instead of your own.
If you’re a trans youth who would like to submit your own letter/wish list to TranSanta, you can send an email to the organizers at transanta2020@gmail.com before December 18th.
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