Across the diverse landscape of the United States, a multitude of overnight summer camps catering to transgender children, some as young as 4 years old, have emerged. These camps, shrouded in secrecy and often operating from undisclosed locations, provide a nurturing environment where campers can explore and embrace their gender identities through various activities designed to alleviate gender dysphoria.
One such camp is Camp Lilac, situated in an undisclosed spot in Central Ohio, where over 100 children aged 12 and above are encouraged to socialize, grow, and freely express themselves away from parental supervision. The camp offers a range of “trans-centered activities” like makeup and hair tutorials, as well as voice training. A parent quoted on the camp’s website shared the relief their child experiences at Camp Lilac, where they can be themselves without the need for constant explanation or defense.
In Southern California, Camp Mulberry stands as a free haven for transgender children as young as 6. The camp boasts volunteer counselors who are thoroughly vetted and trained transgender adults, serving as mentors for the attending youth. Several camps maintain secrecy regarding their locations, citing security concerns.
The Trans Youth Equality Foundation (TYEF) hosts a youth camp for transgender and non-binary children, discreetly located in New England. Even 7-year-olds are welcomed at this confidential camp, and the organization further supports girls under 18 who identify as boys by providing free chest binders. TYEF’s endorsement can be found on the Maine Department of Education’s website.
Camp Indigo, with branches in Oakland, California, and Boulder, Colorado, offers a “normal” summer day camp experience for trans and gender-diverse children as young as 4. The Oakland location hosts around 150 kids per week, while the Boulder camp accommodates over 100 children per week from 18 different states. The camp’s co-founder emphasizes that while the focus is on trans youth, only campers aged 12 and above engage in activities related to trans history and trans-focused sex education. Notably, the camp explicitly excludes children who identify as gay, as it is exclusively designed for trans and non-binary youth rather than being an LGBTQ camp.
Additional camps catering to transgender children include Camp Outright in Vermont, Camp Indigo Point near St. Louis, Camp Aranu’tiq in New Hampshire, The Naming Project in Minnesota, Unicorn Day Camp and Camp Epanouie in Pasadena, and Camp Kaleidoscope in Burbank, California. Each of these camps offers a unique space where young individuals can explore their identities and engage in activities that promote self-expression, community-building, and personal growth within the context of their gender identities and orientations.