Our Work – Trans United Europe

OUR HISTORY UNITES US,

OUR CARE MOVES US FORWARD

Our steps so far

2018

The Start

Community caring for community has been as old as time. When the waiting times for gendercare went from months to years, community stepped up for those most affected.

Many people contributed to sharing ideas, finding space, and providing care. Icons like Adrie van Diemen, Alejandra Ortiz, Dinah Bons, Shari Jae Ebere and Sunny Jansen brought together their network and knowledge to start the first community clinic in the Amsterdam Red Light District.

2021

Public Health Collaboration

The 2020 pandemic was a challenging time for many. Not only were many locations closed because of COVID-19, it also became increasingly difficult to live up to the rules of the health inspection. To provide continuous care, more resources and system access were needed than the community could ever realize. The community clinic was at risk of being closed for good.

Late 2020, Trans United Europe came together with team members of the Center for Sexual Health, to see how joined forces and resources could save the future of the clinic. A step from a community clinic to a co-led clinic, with a united aim to invest in health equity.

2022

Awarded with LGBTQI+ Prize

In 2022, the volunteers of the Amsterdam Trans Clinic were awarded with ‘het Roze Lieverdje’ (the Pink Sweetheart), a bi-annual award for LGBTQI+ initiatives in Amsterdam. They were applauded for the community leadership, peer-to-peer care and creating awareness that access to a health system is not a given.

After a grand speech by LGBTQI+ psychiatrist and activist Glenn Helberg, four of the core members of the clinic, Dinah Bons, Shari Jae Ebere, Sunny Jansen and Camiel Welling, received the award on the mainstage. The clinic activities by Trans United Europe played a key role in reaching refugees and undocumented individuals that otherwise would have been left in the cold.

2024-2025

From Volunteer to Peer-to-Peer

Over the course of 2024-2025, Dinah stepped down as chair of Trans United Europe. The board was joined by the international expertise of Alma Aguilar Betancurt and Maurice Bel, together with the longstanding experience of Trans United Europe members Samira Hakim and Shari Jae Ebere.

From this moment onwards, the foundation shifted it’s focus from its original volunteer-led activities towards peer-to-peer support. To build a strong foundation for essential care, more is needed than reliance on volunteer work. Peer-experience is no longer framed as a bonus to the work, but as the core of building bridges and lowering barriers. By aiming for paid positions for team members within the care setting, a durable foundation is build, with trans-dominant voices in leadership and decision-making positions.

2026

Our own space

Professionalizing our governance structure and mission to move from volunteer positions to peer-to-peer roles, also meant a focus on more independence. The roof over our heads should provide safety for visitors, but also for team members, knowing we have a place to work, plan and meet. Being a guest a different locations, such as the Rainbow House, the Center for Sexworkers and the T-House, has made it possible to build community. Finding our own space means investing in longevity.

In the spring of 2026, we formally opened our own TrUE space, with offices for advocacy, health care, therapy and social gatherings. In these spaces, different organisations are now our guests, and make use of our space to provide care, instead of the other way around. By investing in our future, we commit to our work. United by care, led by trans people.

Our mission

Strengthening the position and promoting the emancipation of migrant trans communities in Europe

Our mission is centered around who we are; community at the core of care. Not as occasional consultants. Not as volunteers who are asked to give their time and energy ‘for the greater good’. But simply as a community who holds a vast amount of knowledge on diversity and inclusion. Within our collaborations, we center the experience of trans individuals with migrant backgrounds, amplifying their voices to drive systemic change. Our mission is to dismantle barriers, advocate for equal access to care, work, safety, and social participation, and ensure lasting equity. Together, we foster unity, and build a future where everyone thrives.

Our vision

A Europe in which trans people with a migrant background set the agenda.

Our vision is a Europe in which all trans people, regardless of cultural or ethnic background, socioeconomic status, residence status or occupation, are fully recognized in their identity
and have equal access to healthcare, work, safety and social
participation. Trans United Europe wants a Europe in which trans people with a migrant background set the agenda and are in a position to realize lasting change.

Our goals

HEALTHCARE

Providing accessible, safe, and inclusive gendercare and sexual healthcare for trans communities, with specific attention to refugees, undocumented individuals, and children of migrants.

SEXUAL HEALTH

Assuring free access to STI testing, PrEP/PEP care, vaccinations and sexual health consultations. This includes specific attention to stigma reduction, sex workers rights, and services for victims of sexual violence.

SOCIAL SPACE

Hosting a community-led physical space, where trans rolemodels and community leaders —especially those with migrant backgrounds— can connect, share experiences, and build solidarity. A space for lounging, workshops, meetings, games or independently organized events.

QUEER WORK

Supporting newcomers with employment opportunities with guidance, and increase access to work and education for LGBTIQ+ refugees and trans BPOC communities. We advocate for fair employment access, workplace equality, and economic empowerment for individuals facing intersectional discrimination.

ADVOCACY

Driving policy change, legal recognition, and systemic equity for trans people across Europe, with a commitment to centering migrant voices and addressing structural barriers to justice and rights.

PROJECTS

The Hands That Heal

Supporting Trans-Led Clinics

Trans United Clinic

Specific focus on refugees, undocumented migrants, and the homeless.

Get involved to take the next steps

Trans United Europe’s work is built on the power of community. Through peer-led approaches, multilingual outreach, and integrated support that goes beyond healthcare alone. Whether you’re an individual with lived experience, a healthcare partner, or an organization working across Europe, your involvement matters. Get involved so we can strengthen trans-inclusive health systems, expand peer networks, and ensure trans leadership shape the policies that affect our lives.