National Transsexual Counseling Unit

The National Transsexual Counseling Unit (NTCU) was the first peer-run advocacy and counseling program for transgender individuals. Founded in 1968 following the Compton's Cafeteria Riot in San Francisco, it was funded by the Erickson Educational Foundation. While previous efforts had been made to establish similar organizations, funding and support from the Erickson Educational Foundation helped the NTCU to enjoy significantly more success than previous organizations. This funding allowed for the NTCU to rent an office space and pay two full time peer counselors. These counselors provided street outreach, walk-in counseling, and answered mail from around the world. They would also frequently direct clients to the Center for Special Problems for additional support, such as identification cards that indicated transsexual status. The NTCU served as a place where transgender individuals could find services related to employment, mental health, legal problems, and more.

Elliott Blackstone managed the NTCU office as part of his role as liaison from the San Francisco Police Department. His roles through the police department included community relations as well as training officers on interactions with the LGBTQ+ community. While Blackstone was directly involved with the LGBTQ+ community and seeking to improve their relations with the police department, many members of the SFPD still viewed transsexuals unfavorably and sought to undermine the work of these community organizations. In 1973, some of these reactionary members of the SFPD employed an informant to pose as an individual seeking a romantic relationship with one of the NTCU's peer educators. After a few weeks, he asked her to bring cocaine to work, where officers were waiting to arrest her. She was convicted on drug charges and spent two years in jail.

These officers also planted drugs in Blackstone's desk in an attempt to frame him and stop or impede his progressive work within the department. While Blackstone avoided criminal charges, he was reassigned to a foot patrol in a different district and no longer directly involved with the LGBTQ+ community. The organization survived for a bit longer, but due to Blackstone's departure and a discontinuation of funding from the EEF, the NTCU closed in 1974.