| Who We Are |
The River City Gems are a nonprofit
organization with a mission to improve the lives of transgender
individuals and their families by providing education,
resources, peer support, social networking opportunities,
outreach programs, and services focused on the specific needs of
the male-to-female transgender community.
Our goal is to provide transgender individuals, their
partners, and their families with opportunities to socialize in a
personally affirming, safe, and supportive environment. We also
strive to raise awareness of the transgender community and to
promote a positive image to business owners, the media, and the
general public. But most of all, we like to have fun! The joy we
feel in being who we are is captured in our motto, “Celebrating
Feminine Expression.”
We range in age from our twenties through our eighties and come
from diverse backgrounds. We are business people, teachers, truck
drivers, lawyers, and artists. We are parents, siblings, employees
and bosses. In other words, apart from our gender gift, we are
ordinary people – just like you.
Anyone who supports our goals is welcome to join us. We have members
who identify as CD, TG, and TS, as well as partners, family members,
friends, allies, and helping professionals. We welcome single as
well as married people, but we are not a dating service. All of our
socials and events are family-friendly.
We are active in the larger Northern California transgender
community and believe it is important to network with other groups
that share our goals. We encourage our members to get involved by
attending other local and regional transgender events, and we host special
events throughout the year that promote harmony and unity with other
transgender organizations.
| What We Do |
The cornerstone of our monthly calendar is our dinner social, which is always held on the second Saturday in a private hotel banquet room. Our monthly socials are relaxed, friendly, welcoming, and fun for everyone. You may attend in either male mode or female mode, whichever is more comfortable for you. All we ask is that you come dressed appropriately for the venue we are in. Usually this means anything from casual to “semi-dressy” attire. After dinner, some of us like to continue on to nearby transgender-friendly nightclubs for more fun.
In addition to our regular socials, we sponsor a variety of other activities throughout the year. We offer fun-filled holiday parties, barbeques, organized shopping trips, private game nights, group excursions, clothing swaps, and many other opportunities for our members to socialize and expand their horizons. Our event schedule also includes makeup classes taught by professional makeup artists, as well as our popular "Femme 101" program, a series of small group workshops designed to help you improve your feminine image. By offering a broad choice of activities, we are able to accommodate members with differing interests and varying degrees of comfort with public exposure.
Each fall our signature annual event, River City Sparkle, draws attendees from all over California and the West to join us in "Celebrating Transgender Unity." River City Sparkle is an elegant evening of dinner, dancing, and entertainment for the whole transgender community. Mark your calendar for this year's event on October 9 and get ready for River City Sparkle 2010, the TG party of the year! For more information and to purchase tickets, click here»
We are committed to maintaining an atmosphere where everyone, especially significant others, can feel secure. As part of that commitment, we sponsor a Partners Group dedicated to promoting friendship and mutual support among women who are in a transgender relationship. Spouses and significant others are a very important part of our group. SOs who are members have the same rights and privileges as other members, and their needs and concerns are given equal priority. Many actively participate in the group and enjoy attending our events. To find out more about the Partners Group, click here»
| How to Get Involved |
We encourage people who are interested in the River City Gems to join our online Yahoo discussion group, you will have access to announcements about the times, locations, and other details of our events. You will also have the opportunity to exchange messages with group members and get to know us online before you meet us in person. To join the Yahoo group, click here »
Making newcomers feel welcome is very important to us. When you are ready to attend your first River City Gems event, just send an RSVP using the email links on our Upcoming Events page. We'll give you directions to the event and answer any questions you may have. It's that easy!
Membership is not required in order to participate in our activities. However, members receive a $5 discount on the door fee for all events. Members also enjoy other benefits such as a membership card, library privileges, an entry in each month's member drawing, and even a special card and gourmet cupcake in the month of their birthday! You can join in person at any Gems event, or you can complete the membership process online or by mail. To learn how, click here»
Everyone who participates in our activities is expected to abide by our code of conduct. To read it, click here»