I’ll never understand the fascination surrounding trans people in public spaces. We’re regular people, much like our cisgender counterparts, yet we’re often treated like objects for others’ amusement. There’s been numerous occasions of people photographing and filming me without my consent, continuing even when I make it known that I’m aware of them. And, of course, let’s not forget the stares, laughs and pointing that often accompanies me into public toilets and changing rooms. It’s as if, to some, that I’m some sort of exhibit, an animal on display at a zoo.
This year’s Trans Awareness Week is a solemn one; not only has 2021 been the deadliest year on record for transgender individuals, but it’s seen a peak in the conversation surrounding trans issues. In England alone there are over 17,700 trans+ individuals on Gender Identity Clinic (GIC) waiting lists. And not only are the waiting times increasing, but so is the death toll within the trans community; the Trans Murder Monitoring project has released figures this month showing that at least 375 trans and gender nonconforming individuals have been killed across the globe in the year since October 2020. It’s a dire situation for trans individuals at the moment, and one that we must talk about and tackle to prevent it getting worse.
In the past 6 years, reports of hate crimes in the UK based on sexual orientation have tripled, rising from 6,363 in 2014/15 to 19,679 in 2020/21. The trend continues when it comes to reports of transphobic attacks too, with reported cases quadrupling in the same time frame, going from 598 to 2,588. Unfortunately the figure is likely even higher than this, considering many queer people lack faith in our judicial system or face misgendering and deadnaming when filing official reports. Since the Trans Murder Monitoring project began in 2008, there has been over 4,000 instances of transgender individuals being killed across the globe. Again, the figure is likely even higher than this, considering the systemic bias and bigotry engrained in policing systems across the world. When our elected officials and police aren’t actively seeking to protect our community, it tells the people behind these horrific attacks that they can get away with it.
The views of those behind such attacks are often developed and exacerbated by the relentless criticism and condemnation of trans people in the media too. Just last month, the BBC, Britain’s ‘impartial’ national broadcaster, published an article implying that lesbians are being forced and coerced into having sex with trans women. The article was based on a survey of just 80 people, less than half of whom live in the UK, and focused solely on interviews conducted with ‘gender critical’ lesbians whose arguments were based on the assumption of potential partners’ genitals. It’s an odd, uncomfortable and incredibly harmful conversation that persists throughout social media and beyond, and often forms the basis of the anti-trans rhetoric. Our bodies become the topic of conversation, with discussions moving from what we were assigned at birth to whether we’ve had “the surgery” and why we would want to.
Even the most well-meaning cisgender individuals often stumble and ask these invasive questions. What people don’t realise, though, is that we have to fight our way to the correct body. It’s not an easy process at all, and many aren’t aware of the difficulties faced by trans people when attempting to access vital healthcare and procedures. In England alone there are currently over 17,700 people on waiting lists for the 7 NHS GICs, with waiting times ranging from a minimum of 3 years up to over 5 years at The Laurels in Devon. In contrast, the waiting time for elective care and procedures in the NHS is at an average of 10.4 weeks, meaning trans people are waiting more than 25 times as long for necessary care than those wanting elective procedures. I, personally, was on a waiting list to be seen by the Tavistock & Portman Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) for 9 months before receiving my first appointment; once I had been referred from GIDS to an adult GIC at age 18, I had a further wait of 18 months before I was seen. Unfortunately I’m considered one of the lucky ones; I managed to access the services just as the waiting times increased, and faced a reduced wait for adult services due to my prior attendance at the GIDS.
The NHS is critically underfunded when it comes to trans healthcare; there is a desperate need for a major increase in training, staffing and resourcing in order to meet the increasing demand. While pilot gender clinics have been launched, such as 56T based at sexual health clinic 56 Dean Street in London, they cannot be relied upon to fill this demand. Unfortunately, many trans people cannot even access these pilot programmes due to a lack of training and awareness in our own GPs. 1 in 7 Brits have been refused care by their GP because of their trans+ identity, with 45% of GPs admitting that they don’t have a good understanding of trans healthcare needs; this rises to 55% for handling nonbinary individuals’ needs. It is this lack of education and general knowledge that prevents trans people from accessing potentially lifesaving treatment. When I first sought a referral to the GIDS from my GP, I was told I’d have to wait for a referral to the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), before attaining an assessment from them and being placed on the GIDS waitlist. The CAMHS waiting lists alone range from 14 to 200 days, before waiting up to 100 days to receive any form of treatment. Despite going to my GP with research in hand and a knowledge of the referral pathway, I left the appointment disheartened and upset that my own family doctor lacked an understanding of how to approach my treatment.
As a result of these inflated waiting times and lack of funding and knowledge, many are left with no choice but to go private for their treatment. Initial consultations and assessments from private providers can be in the hundreds of pounds, and that does not factor in the cost of ongoing treatment. We are forced into taking our own healthcare into our own hands; many purchase medication over the internet, with no way of verifying its authenticity and safety. To cis people, this may seem absurd, but to the trans community this has become the norm.
Now more than ever, the trans community needs active and impactful allies. Reposts on social media and commenting on trans people’s posts is all well and good, but it doesn’t help our cause. There are so many small but significant ways that cisgender people can support and uplift trans people through their allyship. One of the best ways to show your support is simply by being public about it; be vocal about your support for trans people and their rights, and make it known that you don’t stand for discrimination. When you hear someone use derogatory language or ‘joke’ about something, call them out on it. Explain to them why what they’ve said is offensive, and help them correct it. Similarly, it’s important to mind our everyday language and ensure it’s also inclusive - terms such as ‘guys’ and ‘ladies and gentlemen’, while not intentionally harmful, fail to include anyone identifying outside the gender binary. And when introducing yourself and others, include your pronouns when you say your name. It’s a small and easy change that shows you support the trans and gender nonconforming community.
While these do show your support and help in being an ally, it’s also important to recognise that cisgender people can’t speak on behalf of trans people. Uplift and promote trans voices on social media and in conversations; share trans people’s own words and content rather than detracting from the conversation by inserting your experiences as a cis person. Additionally, when taking part in these conversations be mindful of boundaries and questions that can be harmful or offensive. It may seem insignificant or casual to ask someone their birth name, but this name is tied to an identity that this person won’t necessarily identify with anymore, and it can be an incredibly uncomfortable position to be put in. Especially when that name and conversation also brings its own assumptions and connotations, namely what sex they were assigned at birth.
And finally - donate to trans charities and organisations! There are so many small, grassroots organisations and charities that are in need of donations and fundraising. From well-known charities like Mermaids and Gendered Intelligence, to small charities like Not a Phase and G(end)er Swap, please make sure to donate to charities that actively support the trans community. Donations from the public are what fund the amazing resources and services these charities provide, such as Not a Phase’s Misfits programme - a free month-long bootcamp for trans and gender non-conforming people consisting of fitness, pilates and self-defence lessons.
