On Saturday, May 1, Montrose Counseling Center’s youth program, HATCH, was recognized at the 18th Annual Transgender Unity Banquet. HATCH received the Champion Award, which is given to “the non-transgender individual, company, group, or entity who stood up as a staunch supporter of the Transgender Community.” An individual Champion Award was given that evening to Tim Brookover, President of the Houston GLBT Community Center.
Youth Services Specialist Deb Murphy was unable to attend, but is very proud that the committee noticed the program’s commitment to diversity. HATCH offers a Transgender Support Group on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month, facilitated by two transgender people. HATCH also has been called upon to provide training at area schools who have asked how they may better support their transgender students.
Once upon a time, HATCH stood for “Houston Area Teen Coalition of Homosexuals,” but because that was too limiting, the youth asked us to change it to simply “HATCH.” “This way, we welcome everyone. We’re not excluding the bisexuals or transgender youth, or their allies,” says Murphy, “One of the great things about adolescents and young adults is that they feel more comfortable changing their labels, and having a fluid identity that sometimes changes from one week to the next.” HATCH embraces the diversity of today’s youth and express our gratitude to the Houston Transgender Unity Committee for this distinguished honor.