No young person deserves to be excluded from activities that their peers can take part in. Personally, I took part in several sports at school, from rounders to netball – not only was it beneficial to my physical and mental health, it also taught me other important skills such as teamwork and friendship. I have been able to bring these vital skills with me into adulthood and still play sports as a trans adult.

Schools and colleges should be places for students to figure out their identities. For me, having someone to talk to whilst questioning who I was was vital, because it meant that I could process how I was feeling.

The draft guidance is dire. For young people who are going up trans, school should be a space and time where you find out about yourself. From my own experience, having someone to talk to whilst figuring out my identity made me feel valid and not alone.

What is the new guidance on trans children for England’s schools?

If schools follow this guidance, I have no doubt that it will negatively impact trans students’ wellbeing and even put them in danger, especially those who come from a family dynamic that’s unaccepting of LGBTQIA+ people.

But there is something you can do to stop it – fill out the government’s consultation and tell them that trans young people deserve better. Gendered Intelligence has even made a guide on what to do.

All young people deserve to feel accepted and supported whilst in a school environment. I would urge anyone who wants to make sure this remains the case for trans young people to take just half an hour to respond to the consultation, before it’s too late.

The consultation closes on Tuesday (12 March). Please, be a trans ally, and make your voice heard by filling it out now.

Casey volunteers as an ambassador for Just Like Us, the LGBTQIA+ young people’s charity. Sign up to their newsletter to find out more.