Originally this post was called “not allowed” It was basically a rant against meanness in chat. I was pissed but as the principle here I should never post something in anger. I wasn’t wrong, but there is usually a more positive way to make a point.
Starting with this rewrite, I will be posting a monthly update on the goings on in and around URNA.
Hard to believe, but I took over from Jon six months ago this week. The time went fast. Here are a few thoughts on the site, a few updates and a comment. (Special thanks to Jon who still helps out almost daily).
1. We have gained about 3000 members but lost about a quarter of the Gold memberships. 29,000 bronze/silver members in total now. I expected that we might lose golds once the adult content was taken down. I didn’t know for sure, but it is what it is. So far we have been able to pay the bill, but some months are a little tight. So a very big thank you to all the Gold members.
I have seen a few recent profile deletions expressing concern about personal information security. I like to think that our server is secure, but the reality is, there is no 100% secure server. As a reminder, the only specific personal information we hold is your email address. I have seen a few members posting phone numbers in their profile, I wouldn’t if I was them. We use a third party to manage Gold memberships. The only information shared between ccBill and URNA is whether your Gold membership is active. Zero financial information is shared. If URNA was hacked, they would not have access to the information on ccBill’s server.
2. The site update is still in process. The coders are a month behind schedule, but considering the complexity of the site, not surprising. I hesitate to give a date, but maybe mid September. I think you will like the new site, but the main reason was to update the code. As many of you know browser issues in chat is a tell that the underlying code was in need of updating.
It is unlikely the site will ever make enough money to begin to pay back the costs of updating the code. All of these costs are coming out of my savings. A very big thank you to those who have made contributions. Any additional help would be greatly appreciated.
3. I have been soliciting contributors for original content from both URNA and the community at large. One of my main goals for URNA is to be a portal to the transgender community. You should expect to see more articles on issues important to our community. However, I am a big believer in balance, so there will be serious and less serious postings (think fashion & pop culture).
4. Last, I want to end this update how I started. There is no place here for meanness. Life is not easy for many in our community. Trans women and men have a much higher suicide rate, and the murder rate for trans women of color is shocking. For many, sex work as bad an option as it is, is still the only option. In the majority of states, you can be fired for being transgender. In spite of the recent success of celebrity trans women, full acceptance by society is not a reality for the many. Let’s try to be respectful, be nice to each other. For many, URNA and the people here, are all they have for support and friendship.
Pam