This National Coming Out Day, a new initiative is making its debut online to support transgender individuals in a lively, celebratory, and accessible manner.

The platform named “Hey! I’m Trans” is a collaborative project with the non-profit organization Trans Lifeline. Its creator describes it as a CliffsNotes-style guide to coming out as trans, filled with quick, easy-to-understand resources, such as step-by-step guides for family conversations and customizable email templates for coworkers.

As anti-trans laws, hate crimes, and hostile rhetoric grow across the nation, advocates stress the importance of this National Coming Out Day for trans individuals and other members of the LGBTQ+ community to recognize the available support and resources.

Find out more about this new initiative here.

‘Hey! I’m Trans’: Your CliffsNotes guide to coming out

Maddi Sasso, the Creative Director, shared that during her school years, resources like SparkNotes and CliffsNotes were invaluable. As she commenced her journey of coming out as transgender, she wished for a concise, straightforward guide to help her navigate this process.

“I found myself seeking advice while also getting lost in a sea of information online, consulting various sites and reading subreddits,” she told YSL News. “This led me to question why there wasn’t a more straightforward guide instead of overwhelming information.”

Sasso revealed that she began her transition later than many others, which raised her concerns about potential repercussions, including job security and how to come out to those around her.

Fortunately, at that time, she got a new boss at her job as an art director at Small Army FINN Partners named Chris Edwards, who is also a trans man. He became an essential support system for Sasso, who felt ready to begin sharing her identity with the world approximately a year into her transition.

Although Edwards provided incredible assistance, the vast amount of information online left her feeling overwhelmed, especially since many personal stories seemed difficult to relate to her own specific situation.

“I kept thinking, ‘Why isn’t there something simpler and more joyful?’ This topic is under duress right now, but ultimately, your identity is something to be celebrated. If you can’t find joy in that, what does it all mean?”

This inspired her and Edwards to reach out to Trans Lifeline, a nonprofit dedicated to connecting trans individuals with community support and resources. The team there was enthusiastic about the idea, and development started in 2022.

Along with copywriter Lindsey Rosenblatt, who is a supportive ally but not trans herself, Sasso, Edwards, and the Trans Lifeline team aimed to create a resource reflecting the deeply personal and diverse experiences of coming out.

“We wanted to address the fact that coming out is different depending on your relationship with the person you’re telling,” Sasso explained. “The way you come out to your best friend is likely not the same as to a colleague or a more formal acquaintance. It cannot just be a cookie-cutter approach.”

This led to the birth of the “Hey! I’m Trans” concept.

Resources for every aspect of life

The website heyimtrans.com is organized into various sections catering to different aspects of the coming out journey.

One section, “Hey Fam,” provides resources, guidelines, and tips for both trans individuals coming out to their loved ones and for family and friends eager to learn more. This includes step-by-step advice for initiating talks, a cheat sheet for frequently asked questions, a guide for parents, and a family handbook.

“We humorously say, ‘trans tested, mother approved,’ because when I shared that information with my mom, she found it helpful.”

“It was incredibly beneficial,” Sasso shared. “She mentioned that she forwarded it to my aunts and everyone, so it was excellent for testing.”

“Hey Team” is a resource for coming out at work, offering not just a practical multi-phase strategy but also two customizable email templates—one casual and one formal—that can be easily copied and adjusted.

These templates have been tried out by Sasso herself, who dedicated an entire weekend to worrying over the email she intended to send in her workplace.

“You can definitely express to your closest colleagues in your own unique way, but at a certain point, I felt like I needed to just rip off the band-aid so everyone would be informed,” she explained.

“Hey World” is aimed at a broader audience, including acquaintances and social media friends. This section offers guidance on how to engage online while focusing on mental well-being. Additionally, it includes social media templates that users can tailor for personal posts.

“Sometimes, just pulling off the band-aid can be best, and you can transform it into a celebration with a social media announcement,” Sasso added.

On the website, users will find a template complete with a filter, allowing them to generate an image alongside a “Hey, I’m” tag for inserting their new names and pronouns. They can select from various pre-written messages or compose their own. These images can then be downloaded in formats suitable for sharing on platforms like Instagram or in a more extended version appropriate for social media stories.

The “Allies” section serves its purpose—providing individuals who wish to be supportive partners with resources and information on how to do so effectively. It contains straightforward advice and links for further exploration, along with a customizable social media format for proudly showcasing their allyship.

Sasso highlighted that users do not need to input an email address or any personal data to access these tools. The goal is not to gather anyone’s information but to create a secure environment for users to engage with the platform.

Trans Lifeline and Additional Resources

While “Hey! I’m Trans” aims to deliver straightforward, quick information, each page includes links to numerous other resources for users who wish to delve deeper.

Many of these links lead to Trans Lifeline, which offers a range of services including hotlines, grants, a resource library, and opportunities for volunteering. There are also connections to various organizations that collaborate to provide better support for the trans community.

Ultimately, Sasso expresses that “Hey! I’m Trans” was created, refined, and tested based on her personal journey of transitioning and coming out. She wanted to establish a space for trans individuals that felt more lighthearted, vibrant, and unapologetically proud.

“My hope is that this platform proves helpful for others who are coming out, as well as their friends, family, and coworkers,” she shared. “I wish for people to find it useful and appreciate its aesthetic and tone, it should genuinely feel like a celebration.”

Visit “Hey! I’m Trans,” launching on October 11 at heyimtrans.com. You can find Trans Lifeline online at translifeline.org.