A peer-support phone service run by trans people for trans and questioning callers in the United States and Canada, even when the caller is not in crisis.
Audience
Trans, nonbinary, gender-questioning, and gender-diverse people
Coverage
United States and Canada
Availability
Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Pacific, 1 p.m.-9 p.m. Eastern, with listed closure dates
Service type
Trans-led peer support by phone
Overview
Trans Lifeline connects callers with a trans or nonbinary peer operator. The service centers autonomy, lived experience, confidentiality, and support without nonconsensual active rescue. A caller does not need to be certain they are trans or be in a crisis to reach out.
Important distinction
This page is an independent Mello Zone orientation profile. It does not mean Mello Zone operates, supervises, endorses, or guarantees this organization. The provider remains responsible for its own service, eligibility, staffing, privacy practices, availability, and outcomes.
Contact methods
Phone, text, chat, email, locator, and website options can serve different needs. Availability notes are shown on every card.
Phone
877-565-8860
Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. PT / 1-9 p.m. ET
Press 2 to connect with a Spanish-speaking operator.
Phone
877-330-6366
Monday-Friday during listed hotline hours
Peer support for trans and questioning callers in Canada.
Website
translifeline.org/hotline
Online anytime
Check current hours, holiday closures, FAQs, and alternate resources before calling.
What it can help with
What to expect
Connection with a trans or nonbinary peer operator
A conversation centered on listening, autonomy, and lived experience
No requirement to prove identity or explain why the concern is serious enough
Anonymity and confidentiality as described by the organization
Possible waiting or the need to call again when demand is high
Limits and fit
History
2014
Milestone 01
Trans Lifeline began in response to suicide in trans communities and a need for community-based support outside police and involuntary hospitalization systems.
2016-2017
Milestone 02
A low-barrier financial-assistance project for legal name and identity-document changes became part of Trans Lifeline.
Today
Milestone 03
The organization combines its hotline, microgrants, and community advocacy under a trans-led model.
Impact
These figures and examples are attributed to the provider's own public reporting. They do not guarantee an individual result.
Reported on the organization's official impact page.
Direct financial support distributed through microgrant programs.
Peer operators trained to support trans and questioning callers.
Impact in practice
Trans Lifeline's history shows a deliberate expansion from emotional peer support into low-barrier financial help for legal names, identity documents, and later people affected by incarceration. The model recognizes that emotional distress can be connected to structural barriers, not only an individual diagnosis.
Source: Trans Lifeline history and impactPrivacy and device safety
Official links and connected reading
Mello Zone directory statement
Mello Zone is not a crisis center, healthcare provider, counseling service, treatment locator, or substitute for licensed care. This profile summarizes publicly available information and provides direct links to the independent organization.
