'Night Of 1000 Genders' Celebrated Gender Non-Conforming Youth In NYC

The Gender And Family Project presented its first annual benefit last night in an effort to celebrate the beauty and resilience of gender nonconforming youth and their families.

Titled "Night Of 1000 Genders," the event brought together big names such as Olympia Dukakis and Justin Vivian Bond in an effort to raise funds for The Gender & Family Project, an organization that seeks to empower families with gender nonconforming and transgender youth by offering affirmative mental health services, professional training and community building.

"The Gender & Family Project is one of the only organizations in NYC providing professionally facilitated services for families of young gender nonconforming children," Jean Malpas, Director of the Gender & Family Project, told The Huffington Post. "When we started the groups there were literally no other resources in the City. Parents and caregivers were desperate to find support and community."

Malpas added, "By reaching out to families when the child is still quite young, we hope to support the development of a positive parent-child relationship and avoid situations where an LGBT or gender nonconforming teen might be rejected by his or her family."

If you're interested in making a donation through "Night Of 1000 Genders" to benefit gender nonconforming youth and their families, visit this website.