Can you briefly expand on how non-binary people are impacted?
For non-binary people, especially, there’s still no recognition for their identity. If you don’t recognise a person in your society, how can you afford them equal rights? There are so many areas where trans and non-binary people are not thriving but barely surviving.
Do you have a key tip on how we can be allies to trans people?
An ally isn’t just somebody who thinks what happening is wrong and it should be changed. That’s an interested bystander. An ally is somebody that stands up, defends and changes things. No minority in history has gained equality or more rights alone. A minority does not have that power. A minority has to raise the injustice, get the majority interested, but it’s the people in the majority that need to open the door for equality.
What about allyship within the LGBTQIA+ community?
Being an ally, you need to understand the power you have. In the LGBTQIA+ community, the people who are empowered to make a difference are white gay men. We need that group of the community to be really involved. There’s this misconception that people who aren’t trans can’t talk for trans people, but they absolutely can.
People who aren’t trans or non-binary can’t speak from lived experience, but it’s the job of an ally to amplify those trans voices, either directly or by saying what you’ve learned and been told. We need people to be our shield, amplify and support us. There’re so few trans and non-binary people, and so few that have the platform to be role models, a handful of people, so we need people to be allies.
How can people support Trans in the City?
If you’re an organisation then you can become a sponsor, if you’re a trans or non-binary individual you can join us as a member, if you’re an ally, we’ve got a very active allies’ stream. I’m extremely keen on building and empowering our allies’ group. We’re here as a collaboration. Our 350 global corporates and other businesses are here to work together and that’s the whole point of Trans in the City – come and join with us. Bring your ideas and we’ll collaborate with you. Trans and non-binary rights need everybody working together.
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