Hey everyone, my name is Sweet, and my pronouns are they/them. I am transmasc nonbinary and will be talking a bit more about what Trans Awareness Week is about as well as more understanding of the trans community.
This is relevant for allies, those who would like to know more about the community as well as trans people and those questioning their gender/wanting to understand themselves better.
Trans Awareness Week is about raising awareness of trans and gender diverse people through education, events, and celebration. This is to help raise visibility, advancing advocacy and address issues that members of the community face.
To begin with I wanted to share what key terms within the community mean. Transgender refers to people whose internal knowledge of their own gender differs from that of the sex that the person was assigned to at birth. This incongruence can often lead to feelings of distress known as gender dysphoria. This can involve trans women, men as well as used as an umbrella term for those identify as outside the binary such as nonbinary and genderfluid people. While Cisgender is someone whose gender identity fits that of the sex assigned at birth. Transitioning is the process of taking steps to live as one’s true gender identity. This can look different for each individual and can involve medical interventions such as taking hormones or having surgery. A trans person’s gender identity is real and valid regardless of their transition goals as well as their presentation.
Gender diversity has always been around a part of various cultures, it’s just more vocal and we have better language to help describe these experiences and gender identities with others now.
Every trans person’s experience is different and it is important to recognise that one cannot guess someone’s gender by how they present but rather it is important to ask or share one’s pronouns when comfortable to create a more accepting society where the depth of gender experiences are normalised and trans people aren’t singled out and victimised.
Being trans is about celebrating the depth in the human experience and being beautiful. However, sadly, trans people face a lot of prejudice, disadvantages and discrimination within society that makes it harder for many to be unapologetically themselves. If you are cisgender it is particularly important to support trans people which can be done through many ways. It can be as simple as respecting their pronouns, identity and lived experience to reporting instances of hate crime and speaking up against transphobia in your own circles.
If you are trans, firstly know you are valid and you are not alone. The University has a beautiful and welcoming trans community that you can access by messaging the @unibathlgbtplus Instagram page to find out more information, as well as I am happy to add you to the discord server and provide support/signpost if you have any concerns or questions. To get in touch with, email livingsupport@bath.ac.uk.
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