'Pose' star Indya Moore launches 'Transanta' to send presents to transgender youth

Indya Moore, the star who plays Angel Evangelista in the FX television series Pose, has launched a program called "Transanta" to make trans children feel loved and appreciated this holiday season. Much like the USPS's "Operation Santa" project, this initiative lets users anonymously gift presents to trans kids and young adults in need. The year 2020 has been particularly harsh for trans individuals, so Moore hopes to end it on a higher note. In collaboration with some of their friends in the community, they developed Transanta to make trans children "feel like they are a gift to this world because they are," CNN reports.

One of the collaborators who worked on the project with Moore is friend Chase Strangio, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union. The two of them also enlisted the help of Kyle Lasky, a designer and front-end developer, and Pidgeon Pagonis, an intersex rights activist. The Pose star announced the initiative via a post on Instagram. "Trans issues don't receive much visibility or attention unfortunately, but this year has been the most violent and deadly for my community," they say in the clip. "It has been very upsetting." For Moore, Transanta is a more personal project than one may think.

They say, "I didn't have a chimney growing up in the Bronx or in foster care, but I do have my community now. My friends and I want to make sure that trans kids feel like they are a gift to this world because they are. Acceptance and love are gifts we all deserve all year." Therefore, they launched the project's Instagram page, on which social media users can read letters submitted by almost 200 children. The letters include requests for gifts from kind do-gooders. Those interested in purchasing a gift for a trans child in need can select a child, following which they will be taken to a Target registry with their wish list.

The requests from the trans youth involved in the project are incredibly diverse. For instance, a 15-year-old in Tennessee has asked for a cozy color-blocked sweater, while an eight-year-old in California has asked for a tablet pen. Other requests include a range of gifts, from a basketball to a rice cooker. Several young people have also asked for "gender-affirming" items, such as clothes, underwear, shower supplies, and even makeup that conform to their true gender identity. For many individuals, this will be their first Christmas away from their family after coming out, so this is an opportunity to help someone feel loved at a time when they may be completely alone.

According to True Colors United, it is estimated that LGBTQ+ youth make up 40 percent of the youth homeless population in the United States. This is despite the fact that they only make up seven percent of the total population in the country. In addition to this, 92 percent of transgender adults who have attempted suicide did so before the age of 25, as per a 2015 report by the National Center for Transgender Equality. The pandemic has been particularly difficult for many in the community. With this in mind, Moore raised $20,000 for 400 LGBTQ+ people of color earlier this year.