Today – 31st March – is Trans Day of Visibility.
"Given the current state of trans rights in the UK and elsewhere, it is now more important than ever that trans people – and transness as a concept – is visible to society as a whole. We need to be visible to educate people about our experiences, and prove that we aren’t as evil as the media paints us out to be, but are just people. We need to be visible so our experiences are normalised and we are treated as just people by society. We’re not there yet. We need people who want to be allies to find ways to support the community in whatever way they can. There will be a stronger focus on allyship next term, so please keep an eye out for events and resources coming your way showing how you can learn about and support the trans community. We really need it right now." - Sam Temple Trans Officer 2022/2023
Throughout this year Sam and other members of the Trans and Non-binary student community have written articles on their lived experiences as well as educational resources for cisgendered individuals, linked below are some of the articles and resouces that have been published this year.
Trans Awareness Week: I Am Not An Oxymoron
"I have always felt overwhelmed by the amount of love I possess- love for the strangers I smile at, love for the sound of rain, love for the comfort of holding a warm drink, love for my faith, love for each moment and for every person. But sometimes, I fear my love is my downfall; if I didn’t love so much, maybe the target on my head would be smaller. If I wasn’t capable of falling in love with someone, irrespective of their gender, would the world be kinder to me? "
Trans Awareness Week: Power In Protest
"Being trans has never been easy. Especially those trans people who’s identity intersects with other marginalised communities. We have been pushed out and excluded from society for so long and we - and the rest of the LGBQ-community – wouldn’t have been where we are today if it wasn’t for us standing up for ourselves."
Trans Vigil of Rememberance: Perpetual Anxiety Of Being Trans
"I have heard a question before; thrown around as a fun idea, often to get people to talk about the joys of being queer. It is often celebrities, or people in the public eye, who are asked if, given the chance, they would choose to not be a member of the LGBTQ+ community?"
Trans Vigil of Rememberance: Dear Cis People
"Politicians have so much power. They run our government. They have the power to ruin trans lives, and by the sounds of it, they will. How do these things slide? How did the government get away with not banning conversion therapy for trans people? How do they get away with still not legally recognising gender outside of the binary of men and women?"
(Trans)itional Pathways: Social and Medical Transition
"For lots of trans people, a new name is a starting point for social transition, especially if they experience a lot of distress over being called their Birth Name. Lots of trans people will legally change their name (and title), however this can be a long and expensive process depending on where you are in the world, so some may choose not to."