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What is Trans+ History Week? 

Founded by QueerAF, Trans+ History Week (6 – 12 May 2024) is a week to learn and celebrate the rich and long history of trans, non-binary, gender diverse, and intersex people. It is a time to reflect and educate on trans history and identities. As the organisers say, “knowledge of our past is absolutely fundamental for our future liberation”.  

At a time where anti-trans rhetoric is on the rise and hate crimes against trans people have risen by 186% in the last five years, now more than ever we need to uplift the trans community, and send a clear message: trans people have always been here.  

Trans+ History Week begins on 6 May, a date deliberately chosen as it is the anniversary of the Nazi raid on the world’s first ever trans clinic in 1933. The Institute of Sexology, an academic foundation carrying out research on sexuality and gender and advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, was broken into and had the entire contents of its library burned.  

So why do we need Trans+ History Week? 

To remember and that trans people have always been here. 

Today, there is a rising narrative in some circles that trans and gender non-confirming identities are a new ‘trend’ – but if you speak to trans people about what it is like to be trans, you will understand how deep-rooted and profound their own internal experience of gender is to them and their identity. Older trans people will often speak to how they have always felt this way, even if they didn’t necessarily have the words to describe it, like we do today. 

To say that trans identities are unique to the 21st century is not just damaging to trans people, it is untrue. Although the term ‘transgender’ wasn’t coined until the 1960s, people have been subverting the gender binary since ancient times, across cultures.. For example:  

• c 300 BCE - c 400 CE: The Galli, priests in the cult of Cybele, occupied a third-gender space in Roman society and spread as far as the British Isles. 
• c 1479 - 1458 BCE: Joan of Arc was willing to die at the stake rather than stop wearing men’s clothing. 
• 1946: Michael Dillon becomes the first transgender man to undergo phalloplasty across 13 surgeries.  

The 2021 Census was the first time that LGBTQ+ people were included in the national data, and for the first time, there was a question about gender identity. The Census revealed that 0.5% of the population in England and Wales have a gender identity that is different from the one they were assigned at birth, a figure in line with the census in Canada. Trans people are a very small group in our society, but need our respect and support more than ever.  

Download QueerAF’s Trans+ History Week workbook to learn more about the key dates in trans history.  

A time to celebrate the diversity of the trans community 

We can take this week as an opportunity to spotlight the diversity of the trans community, and learn more about the expansive trans identities from different countries and cultures. Trans communities and gender diversity have thrived across the world for centuries; after all, they’re not new or unique to only one culture, time or demographic. 

For example, the hijra community in South Asia. ‘Hijra’ is often used as an umbrella term to encompass a range of gender non-conforming identities. In South Asia, the Hijra have been historically categorised as a third gender, distinct from the male and female binary. They have a long history going back to the 13th century and play a unique role in the cultural and social fabric of the region. Watch our short film documentary about the Hijra community to learn more.  

To recognise that trans people have always been at the heart of LGBTQ+ liberation 

Trans and gender diverse people are, and have always been, integral to LGBTQ+ movements across the globe. In fact, trans people were at the heart of the Stonewall uprising in New York City back in 1969, the moment in history from which we take our name, and which prompted LGBTQ+ rights movements around the world and led to the existence of Pride as we know it. 

Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera were among those on the frontline at the Stonewall uprising, risking their lives to fight for LGBTQ+ liberation and equality. Marsha was vocal about the exclusion of trans people from the mainstream gay rights movement in the 70s, advocating for a LGBTQ+ rights movement that included everyone.  

Without these revolutionaries – LGBTQ+ liberation might look very different.  

Want to learn more? Dive into trans history with these resources 

This is a week for reflection, education, and celebration of the beautiful and complex history of the trans community. Founders of Trans+ History Week, QueerAF have put together a workbook to help you explore trans history, it’s the history lesson we never had. 

Download QueerAF’s Trans+ History Week workbook. 

Catch our social media content  

We’re sharing lots more info on our social media channels this week, follow us so you don’t miss out! 

• Twitter/X
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• TikTok

For more info and resources, you can check out our Trans Hub. 

A General Election is coming on 4 July 2024 – we have an opportunity to create meaningful change for the LGBTQ+ community.

Life is especially challenging for LGBTQ+ people right now, with anti-LGBTQ+ narratives gaining more traction in the press and politics, while hate crime rises. This is our moment to make our voices heard. By engaging in the election process, we can campaign for a brighter, more inclusive future for the LGBTQ+ community.  

Who are Prospective Parliamentary Candidates (PPCs)? These are your local candidates that have been chosen by a political party, or as an independent, to run for a seat in UK parliament and become an MP. 

Since we don’t yet know who will make up the next UK Government and Parliament, it is vital that we engage with all PPCs equally on the issues that matter to us. As a charity, Stonewall is politically impartial; we do not favour any political party or candidate. Instead, we believe in engaging with representatives of all mainstream parties.

We want to get the UK back on track for LGBTQ+ rights. These are our key priorities:

How to engage with your PPC

You have an opportunity to make a real impact, helping to ensure that the next UK Government actively supports the LGBTQ+ community when they come into power. Your voice matters, and you can use it to engage with the people who could be shaping new policies for the UK.

There are a few ways you can engage with PPCs - choose the option which works best for you! We recognise that having conversations about LGBTQ+ equality might be difficult for some, so please look after your wellbeing during this time and only engage with people if you feel comfortable.

1. Email them directly

You can reach out to PPCs directly via email. Simply use this tool to discover the candidates in your area and find their contact details. You can then write an email to them outlining your priorities and what you want to see from them.

You can also signpost PPCs to our Back on Track manifesto, which explores how the next UK Government can make progress for LGBTQ+ rights.

2. Quiz them when they come canvassing

During election season, PPCs or members of their team are likely to be out and about canvassing and knocking on doors to gain support. If they come knocking, this is the perfect opportunity to ask them what they plan to do to support the LGBTQ+ community.

You can use our list of questions below for inspiration!

3. Attend a local husting

A husting is a meeting where candidates for an election address potential voters. During a husting, candidates will present their policies, answer questions, and engage in debates with their opponents. Attending a husting means that you can hear directly from the candidates, compare their positions on various issues, and make informed decisions about whom to support in the election. You can find a local husting near you with a quick online search for your local area.

It is also a chance for you to put your questions to your PPCs. We’ve put together a list of questions below.

Questions to ask your local candidates

Based on our key priorities, we’ve put together some questions to ask your PPCs. These can be used over email, or in person. If you feel comfortable, add your own knowledge and experiences when having these conversations; it will help the candidate connect with you and the challenges the community is facing.

Ask your PPCs about LGBTQ+ safety

A top priority for us in ensuring that the next government focusses on creating more safety for LGBTQ+ people. We know that many LGBTQ+ people do not feel safe simply being themselves and expressing their identities in the current climate. If you have the chance to ask your PPCs just one question, we urge you to make it this:

1. Hate crimes against LGBTQ+ people are rising. If elected, how do you plan to ensure that the LGBTQ+ community feel safe going about their day-to-day lives?

If your PPC is engaged, you can dive deeper into some more specific LGBTQ+ issues. Here’s some additional questions you might want to pose:

1. Conversion therapy is still legal in the UK. Will you commit to a comprehensive ban on conversion practices if elected?
2. LGBTQ+ people have poorer mental health outcomes than cis and straight people. What would you do to improve mental health services for LGBTQ+ people?
3. LGBTQ+ people have poorer mental health outcomes than cis and straight people. What would you do to improve mental health services for LGBTQ+ people?
4. Trans adults are waiting an average of 4 years for treatment. How would you ensure that all trans people can access the healthcare they need?
5. Many LGBTQ+ people still face financial barriers to accessing IVF on the NHS. What will you do to make sure that every LGBTQ+ person has the chance to start a family?
6. I believe in LGBTQ-inclusive education – what will you do to ensure this is protected in schools?
7. The UK used to be rated number 1 for LGBTQ+ equality, we’re now rated 16th. What steps would you take to ensure that the UK once again stands as a global leader for LGBTQ+ equality?

If you get any interesting responses from your local candidates – we’d love to hear about them! Feel free to email us at campaigns@stonewall.org.uk.

Thank you for standing hand in hand with us this election season. Together, we can make sure that the UK is a place where LGBTQ+ people are supported to thrive and can live freely.

Last week Dr Hilary Cass published her Final Report following her review on gender services for children and young people in England. 

Our team is now reviewing the 400-page report and preparing the key questions that will need to be answered if we are to truly improve trans children and young people’s gender healthcare.

We firmly believe that trans children and young people deserve to be listened to and given access to the care and support that they need.

Securing their care and/or treatment, when they need it, is a top priority for Stonewall. These are vital services for children and young people, many of whom have been waiting for years for specialist care and support. This is totally unacceptable. It is a fundamental principle of the NHS that everyone should be able to receive treatment and care when they need it and children and young people have been badly let down in this regard.

With around 5000 children and young people waiting for care, and new referrals still not being given first appointments, what matters more than anything is having in place a clear plan of action, with funding, to build the capacity needed in the system to offer quality care and support in a timely way.

We welcome calls to develop a regional model of service delivery, but it is important that this commitment to expand capacity is not lost among the wider recommendations being considered – many of which also require additional resources.

While we work across the sector to develop a fuller analysis, we want to set out our questions and voice some initial concerns that need serious consideration if we are to truly improve trans children and young people’s experiences of gender healthcare as these recommendations are developed and implemented.

There are several places where the Cass Report has made statements or recommendations without fully explaining the policy intention or implications for providing clear conclusions on access to patient treatments. As Dr Cass observed, gender identity services are currently operating in a highly politicised context, unlike almost any other part of the NHS.

We are concerned that some clinicians will feel the chilling effect Dr Cass described, with some of these recommendations leading to children and young people being denied the care that they need. Further recommendations also pose questions as to whether healthcare for trans children and young people is being designed to different standards than those for other children and young people.

Immediate priority should be given to substantively responding to these issues to reassure the children and young people who are seeking to access these important services.

Our key areas of focus are:

• Resources and reform – The Cass Review makes significant recommendations on underpinning structure and resources to create modern, evidence-led potential models of care. These are welcome recommendations for a hugely underfunded and limited service. We want assurance that services will be fully funded to enable prompt access for children and young people who require care.
• Research – creating an evidence-led care pathway that delivers treatment in a way that is consistent with NHS models of care. We welcome a funding commitment to support research and development of services.
• NHS England Gender Service Development – ensuring the needs and rights of trans and gender diverse children and young people are respected and supported. It is important that children and young people have freedom and expression and can explore their sexuality and gender in a safe and supported way.
• Social Transition – ensure Dr Cass’ recommendations against a ‘blanket ban’ on social transitioning is fully implemented, communicated effectively and translated consistently across policy areas.
• 17-25 year olds – NHS care should be seamless and effective, regardless of your age or other characteristics. Protecting children and young people’s legal competence to make decisions informed decision about their care is key, as is protecting against unintended legal consequences across a whole range of services and well established rights.
• Puberty blockers and gender affirming hormones – ensure Dr Cass’ recommendations against a ‘blanket ban’ on puberty blockers is fully implemented, communicated effectively, and translated consistently across policy areas. A critical issue is that children and young people get the care and treatment they need assessed by a qualified medical professional. In some circumstances, puberty blockers may be the most appropriate treatment. This should be a matter of medical judgement based on the needs of the child or young person and informed by best medical practices and evidence.
• Access to NHS care – the NHS has always been free at the point of need, for everyone. Undermining this principle has serious consequences for everyone. There is risk that complex recommendations may unintentionally suggest anyone accessing private care due to excessive waiting lists or non-existent services is ineligible for NHS treatment, and that is unfair.

Resource and reform

Key proposals like creating regional services, improving clinical training and development, and designing new models of care and services are all positive developments.

Major reforms and the associated financial commitments are unlikely to be easily found in an NHS that is already over-burdened. Dr Cass stated in her interim report that ‘Doing nothing is not a neutral act’; it is important that safe, effective and timely provision is made for the children and young people that need healthcare urgently.

Stonewall will be working closely with our partners in children and young people, trans and LGBTQ+ charities to ensure that, however NHS England changes gender identity services, it does so by placing the needs and rights of trans and gender diverse children and young people at its heart.

Decision Making

We welcome the commitment to build a robust evidence base to inform healthcare services for trans and gender diverse children and young people. It is important that experts are fully engaged to ensure the evidence base for care is comprehensive and robust. We also welcome Dr Cass's recent clarification of the evidence considered in the review.

Beyond our concerns about building the capacity needed into these services, we are highlighting these key considerations at this stage:

• Social transition: Dr Cass has not called for adolescents to have their right to their identity or autonomy removed. Nor did Dr Cass recommend a blanket ban on social transitioning for children of any age. Most significantly, Dr Cass did not support unilateral ‘outing’ of trans young people by schools. There are clear gaps between recommendations and practical policy, and we’re already hearing early reports of Dr Cass’ analysis of – and recommendations about – social transition being used to challenge trans young people’s right to identity.
  • Initial opinion: We are concerned that Dr Cass’ recommendations are being misrepresented in discussions around the draft guidance for schools and colleges in England on supporting ‘gender questioning children’, and may be misrepresented to justify restrictions on children and young people’s right to identity in school.
  • Next actions: Along with our partners in the children and young people, trans, LGBTQ+, and children’s rights movements, we will continue advocating to the Department for Education for guidance that supports trans and gender diverse children and young people to thrive at school.
• 17 – 25s: There is a need for clarity about what a ‘follow-through' service for 17–25-year-olds means in reality. There are no immediately identifiable services available within the NHS, with many children and young people with a wide variety of needs often experiencing difficulties moving between children’s and adult services in the NHS and social care. Instead of setting out how a new service might work, NHS England announced an immediate further limit to access to support for 17-year-olds, including cancelling appointments for people who have likely been waiting years for support. These steps have already raised significant legal questions about restricting care both in terms of rights to treatment under the NHS Constitution and its underpinning legislation, trans young adults' human rights to health care, and potential discrimination based on age and other protected characteristics. Furthermore, there are legal risks and unintended consequences for young people's established legal rights to make informed decisions in line with the Gillick Competence and Fraser Guidelines.
  • Initial opinion: We are concerned by NHS England’s interpretation and response, which has already led to restricted access to support for 17 year-olds.
  • Next actions: Along with our partners in trans and LGBTQ+ charities we will work with NHS England to ensure that it does not lead to a sustained gap or block in support and care for a cohort of trans and gender diverse young people. We will advocate for an approach to this recommendation that ensures continuity of care for trans and gender diverse young adults and respects their autonomy.
• Puberty blockers and gender affirming hormones: The Cass Review Final Report argues that the evidence on puberty blockers is insufficient, but also acknowledges their efficacy for some trans young people. It recommends that more evidence be gathered through compulsory medical trials, which raises ethical concerns which will need to be addressed. Importantly, the Cass Review did not call for blanket bans on puberty blockers and this needs to be fully reflected in policy and service development with clear guidance issued at the earliest opportunity to prevent any blanket bans being implemented.
  • Initial opinion: Dr Cass has now provided further clarity on the methodology used in the report which we welcome. We call for funding to support research and development in this important area. In a politicised decision-making environment, we are concerned that nuanced recommendations around their efficacy for specific groups will not be implemented, and that this will lead to blanket bans on hormones and puberty blockers, the treatment decisions for which need to be made in the best interest of the child or young person seeking treatment in line with recognised best practice for individual care.
  • Next actions: We will call on NHS England to set out how children and young people who, based on a medical practitioners’ opinion, need puberty blockers will be prescribed them in a timely manner and reassure these individuals that they will not be waiting multiple years for multiple assessments to access this care.
• Private healthcare: There is an unclear recommendation that could be interpreted as suggesting that trans young people who access private healthcare should be prevented from accessing NHS treatment. Millions of people across the country use private healthcare and continue to benefit from full access to the NHS; it’s important to remember trans people often feel they have no choice because five year long waiting lists mean the NHS is failing to serve them in a timely way.
  • Initial opinion: We are concerned that trans and gender diverse children and young people could be disadvantaged further for enduring long waiting lists for NHS care.
  • Next actions: We will advocate to NHS England to ensure that trans young people will not be treated differently to the wider population and call on them to hold to the principle of the NHS that: “You're still entitled to free NHS care if you choose to pay for additional private care.”

What are our next steps?

Our teams will progress with their detailed review of the report and recommendations. We will continue to collaborate with our partners in children and young people, trans and LGBTQ+ organisations and those supporting trans children and young people to share our analysis and action plans. We will also seek advice and input from those with relevant specialist knowledge and expertise to inform our ongoing engagement.

Engagement with NHS England will be an important part of our ongoing work as will be wider engagement with decision makers to ensure improving the quality of life for trans children and young people remains central to their thinking and actions. Children and young people’s care and treatment is a fundamental human right and we are committed to ensuring that younger trans and gender diverse people get the care they need.

People perform better when they can be themselves, and if you’re looking to make sure that lesbian, gay, bi and trans (LGBT) people are fully included in your workplace, we’ve got some tips to help.

1. Ensure that your policies are fully inclusive of LGBT people

This includes pensions, family and leave policies, health insurance and relocation allowances. You should make sure your policies explicitly mention LGBT people.

2. Get people involved across your organisation

This could include setting up a network group specifically for LGBT employees; they’ll help you know where you’re doing well and which areas may need a new approach.

3. Reward those involved in your LGBT network group

Embed their involvement in their appraisals; make being part of the network a desirable thing to be.

4. Decide upon a clear strategy and tactics

Whether you want to increase the number of staff who are open about being LGBT, or revise your policies to make them fully inclusive, it’s crucial to know where you want to be and how you’re going to get there.

5. Engage staff members who don’t identify as LGBT

Allies, as we call them, are a crucial element of ensuring inclusion for all. They can help spread the message that diversity is celebrated by your organisation.

6. Ensure senior support

Making certain your senior leaders actively communicate their support for LGBT inclusion sends a positive message of acceptance for all across your organisation.

7. Speak to your staff

Consulting employees – both LGBT and non-LGBT – about what inclusion looks like in your organisation will help ensure your strategy is appropriate and that all staff share your vision.

8. Understand your staff

Getting to know the make-up of your staff through techniques such as monitoring will help ensure you effectively cater to any needs they may have.

9. Celebrate your successes

Making sure your organisation is LGBT-inclusive is an ongoing journey, so it’s important to celebrate your successes, whatever size they may be, along the way. Every step is a step towards acceptance without exception for LGBT people.

10. Become a Stonewall Diversity Champion

Diversity Champions is Britain’s leading programme for ensuring that your workplace is truly inclusive.

Find out more.

This summer, individuals and organisations will be writing to their MPs calling for action on for Gender Recognition Act reform.

David chairs the Wandsworth LGBTQ+ Forum which has built support for LGBT equality at local and national levels by building relationships with local MPs. Here, he shares their experience to help you make an impact on your local MP.  

1. Don’t be party political.

Here in Wandsworth, we have three MPs of different parties and have been able to build good relationships all of them, as well as with election candidates.

2. Find common ground.

Look for events that your MP is organising or supporting that relate to your work, and where you can find common interest. Hate crime is a focus for us, and so we have attended and supported events where our local MPs have spoken about tackling hate crime. This has helped build the relationship with them.

3. Be personal.

On behalf of the Wandsworth LGBTQ+ Forum, I wrote to our local MPs earlier this year asking for them to champion LGBT-inclusive Relationships and Sex Education. I used a template letter but personalised it – reminding MPs of the previous contact we’d had with them, sharing personal experiences of growing up under Section 28 and including some facts and statistics. We could then share this letter with other organisations and individuals to help them write their own personal letters.

4. It’s more than just sending an email or writing a letter.

It’s about building a relationship over time. We’ve been in contact with one of our local MPs for ten years about different issues around LGBT equality. Over my time as Chair, all of our local MPs have come to many events which we have run in the borough. Most recently, our weekly 50+ LGBT coffee morning and even joined in photo-calls at fundraising events. 

5. If you don’t get an answer, don’t stop, but don’t pester either.

Social media can be great, but it’s not always the best way to get an MP to respond. Whatever you do, don’t make personal attacks or insult your MP on social media. Arranging a meeting, inviting them to one of your events or picking up the phone, can be more productive. MPs get so many emails every day, instead of just asking for something, ask them what their priorities are and how you can help.

6. Support each other.

We’re part of the London LGBT+ Forums network, which exists to share information and offer support for other London-wide community forums. Among the organisations you work with, there may be ones who can provide advice on dealing with a ‘difficult’ local MP or have contacts which they can share with you.

7. Remember, MPs are people too.

Every MP is different. Some will read their own mail, others will have office staff. They will have different interests and communication styles, so take time to discover what works for them.

On this day 50 years ago, an uprising took place at the Stonewall Inn in New York City. 

As it was raided by the police in the early hours, three nights of unrest followed, with LGBT people, long frustrated by police brutality, finally fighting back. Lesbians and trans women of colour were some of the key people involved in the act of resistance, including Stormé DeLarverie, Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson. This anniversary is a reminder of the power of standing together in defiance of those who seek to divide us.

The Stonewall uprising took place in the context of broader civil rights movements. The Revolutionary People's Constitutional Convention in 1970 was a key moment in which activists from Black Power, feminist and gay liberation movements came together, saw common cause and learned from each other.

The Gay Liberation Front was the main organisation that formed out of the uprising and these wider movements. The GLF first formed in the US and were part of the original discussions to create the first Pride, which took place on June 28 1970 in New York City, a year after the Stonewall riots - then called the Christopher Street Day Parade.

Some UK activists were involved in some of these key moments in the US movement, and they came back to Britain to form a British chapter of the Gay Liberation Front, meeting for the first time at the LSE library in October 1970, with the first UK Gay Pride Rally taking place a few years later on 1 July 1972, in London.

In the UK, sexual acts between men had been partially decriminalised in 1967, but there was a huge amount of persecution of gay and bi men afterwards. Campaigning at the time was mainly led by the Homosexual Law Reform Society.

The 1970s were characterised by radical grassroots and community-based activism and support. There were many splinter groups from the Gay Liberation Front: the Campaign for Homosexual Equality was a key driving force, and the focus of activism was often explicitly focused on directly challenging heteronormative, conservative norms of family and gender roles; other community-led initiatives coming out of the 1970s included Gay News(set up in 1972), Switchboard (1974), and Gay’s the Word bookshop (1979).

The AIDS crisis dominated the 1980s for the LGBT community, first coming to public attention in 1981 when the first person died of an AIDS-related illness. A year later, a man named Terry Higgins was among the first people known to die of an AIDS-related illness in the UK: the Terrence Higgins Trust was set up in his name.

The prevalence of AIDS was greater in the USA than the UK, but in both countries there was a real lack of political and service support for people living with HIV/AIDS, leading to a huge emphasis on community activism and support. Lesbians and bi women provided critical support to gay and bi men during this time, and Act Up was the key campaigning group focused on challenging the lack of political and health support for people living with HIV / AIDS.

The LGBT community was politically and socially stigmatised throughout the 1980s, creating the hostile political context that allowed Section 28 to be passed as law. This piece of legislation effectively prevented teachers from talking about same-sex relationships in schools, forcing teachers back into the closet, or out of their job, and scarring a generation of LGBT people.

Stonewall was created to fight this discrimination in the UK, 20 years after the uprising.

On 11 September 1988, at a meeting held in Sir Ian McKellen’s house in Limehouse, the basic aims were drawn up in a document dubbed the Second Limehouse Declaration. The first Limehouse Declaration, announcing the launch of the Social Democrat Party, had been signed in the house next door.

On 24 May 1989, the new group sent a press release to the LGBT press announcing the founding of the Stonewall Group.

Over the past 30 years we’ve made a big difference to the lives of LGBT people here and around the world. In the UK, the LGBT movement has won employment rights. Parenting rights. Partnership rights. An equal age of consent.

Fifty years after the uprising, there's lots for us to celebrate – but there’s also a lot more work that needs to be done. We won’t stop, until everyone can be accepted for who they are - without exception.

How you can help:

• There is still so much left to achieve, donate today to help us make our hopes for the future a reality
• Read more about Stonewall's history

Over this past weekend, we saw some worrying headlines and conversations online about trans and cis people whose exploration of their gender identity involves detransition.

So let’s start with the reality: most people who transition do so without any regrets. Detransitioning is very rare, but it does happen. A research analysis showed that of the 3,398 trans patients who had appointments at an NHS Gender Identity Service between 2016 and 2017, less than one per cent said in those appointments that they had experienced transitioned-related regret, or had detransitioned. However, just because people have detransitioned it doesn’t make the experiences and existence of trans people any less valid or real.

Detransition does not in and of itself mean regret. It can mean that a person no longer identifies as trans or feel they are now a different gender to the one they previously identified as.

This is a discovery that may not have been able to come without taking the path they did. It’s also worth highlighting that some statistics out there that look at rates of regret focus on whether a person regrets a specific surgery – not whether they regret transition.

What we know from the research is that those acknowledgments of regret are actually most often related to unsatisfactory surgical results. 

We also can’t forget that Gender Identity services in Britain are hugely under-supported and under-resourced. Waiting times for appointments at these clinics can be up to two years and patients can be forced to travel hundreds of miles to be seen. The lack of funding to ensure trans young people, and those who may be questioning their gender, are given the high-quality care and support they have a right to expect is a serious problem that needs to be addressed.

We need to understand and respect that the reasons why someone detransitions are often complex and nuanced – contrary to what some in the media and online may say.

The most common reason for detransition is the person couldn’t cope with the family and community support they lost and the experiences of transphobia. Where others may detransition because they are unable to find a job or housing.

We know from our research that one in seven trans people (14 per cent) aren’t open about who they are to anyone in their family, while one in four (25 per cent) were discriminated against when looking for a house or flat.

Just look at the story of Kate Hutchison, a trans woman who detransitioned for a period of time due to transphobia. As Kate writes: ‘The only time I saw visible trans people were when they were the focus of nasty jokes in the media or sensationalist headlines. I would get the same abuse in the street, and I saw no empathy or understanding in society as a whole for trans folks.’

Unfortunately, there are no statistics out there that show many people choose to retransition once they have more support structures in place.

So anyone who is concerned about detransitioning should be equally concerned with challenging the transphobia that is rife across our society. And we can’t treat detransition as the end of person’s journey in exploring their gender identity, as many will choose to retransition at a later point when they are safe and supported.

Every person, trans or not, should have the space and time to explore who they are, and have the support to do so. Where this happens, it allows people to be happy, healthy and feel included. 

The policing of people who don’t conform to gender norms and stereotypes doesn’t just affect trans people. The demonisation of tomboys, butch lesbians and feminine gay men, is deeply harmful and shows the extent that misunderstanding these conversations around gender identity can affect us all.

We are working towards building a world where everyone feels comfortable and able to grow, change and be who they are without fear of discrimination or abuse.

At such a vital time for equality, we need to challenge myths and misconceptions about detransitioning, so we can change the way people think and feel about trans people.

Everyone who believes in equality needs to come together and be fierce, vocal allies for trans equality. Our work will not stop until every LGBT people is accepted – no exceptions.

Today, 20 November, is Trans Day of Remembrance, which was founded by Gwendolyn Ann Smith in 1999 to commemorate the life and death of Rita Hester, a black trans woman murdered in Boston, Massachusetts.

This year, there have been 331 known killings of trans people worldwide that Stonewall and other LGBTQ+ communities and organisations around the world will remember. Sadly, these numbers include the murder of Amy Griffiths, a 51 year old trans woman, in Droitwitch, Worcestershire, in January of this year. 

On a global scale, some trans communities are more at risk of fatal violence than others. None more so than the trans community in Brazil, where the majority of killings of trans people have taken place in recent years.

The vast majority of those killed are trans women and transfeminine people of colour.

Every life taken has its own devastating circumstances but it is possible to observe that the vast majority of those killed are trans women and transfeminine people of colour. The Trans Murder Monitoring Project noted that, of those whose professions were known, 61% of murdered trans people this year worked as sex workers.

In Europe, the majority of murdered trans women were migrant trans women.

In Europe, the majority of murdered trans women were migrant trans women. Many murders of trans people occur in circumstances including poverty, racism, anti-immigrant and anti-sex worker sentiment and misogyny, which deprive some trans communities of resources and protection and make certain kinds of trans person especially vulnerable to male violence.

Sadly, some trans people – particularly women – are most at risk of fatal violence from cis male intimate partners, such as boyfriends. The stigma, family rejection, limited employment opportunities and social isolation experienced by many trans people can leave them particularly vulnerable to abuse in relationships.

Stonewall and YouGov’s research, LGBT in Britain: Home and Communities (2018), found that one in five trans people had experienced domestic abuse from a partner in the past year – including 16% of trans women.

As is the case for cisgender women, trans women in relationships with cisgender men are at highest risk of the most serious forms of violence. It is important to recognise that, for many trans women, the experience of intimate partner violence and domestic abuse is similar in nature to the kinds of domestic violence other women experience.

Violence against trans people is connected to a wider epidemic of violence against women.

Violence against trans people is connected to a wider epidemic of violence against women. It is why we're pleased that since 2018 there has been a commitment to trans inclusion in services providing support to survivors of domestic and sexual violence among the women’s sector in Wales, following a statement by women’s charities in Scotland in 2017.

In many cases, violence against trans people is also driven by toxic ideals of masculinity founded on homophobia and biphobia. On Trans Day of Remembrance, many of us, whether cis or trans, can reflect on how we can work together to end gender-based violence, harassment and discrimination in all their forms.

On the doorstep, in an email, in the street or at a public meeting, please ask your parliamentary candidates about their support for LGBT equality. 

Not only can these questions help you make up your mind who to vote for, but they also show candidates that LGBT equality matters to the people they want to represent.

The decisions our MPs make affect every aspect of our lives. They have a say on everything from our education system, and whether schools teach about LGBT families, to criminal justice and how LGBT victims of crime are supported. They even have a say on our legal existence – legislating on how trans people can have their gender identity legally recognised. Your voice will make a difference. 

Members of parliament have changed LGBT people’s lives in the past, and they can do it again in future – but only if you ask them to. Urge your candidates to come out in support of LGBT equality this general election. 

Who are my local candidates?

Find out who your local candidates are.

Five questions to ask your candidates

If you only have time to ask one question – make it this one:

• If elected, what will you and your party do to protect and extend LGBT equality?

These questions cover specific areas where MPs can make huge improvements which can benefit all LGBT people:

• If elected, how will you help create united communities where all LGBT people are safe and accepted?
• If elected, how will you ensure every LGBT child and young person can flourish?
• If elected, how will you improve health and social care services for LGBT people?
• If elected, how will you ensure that the UK actively supports LGBT rights across the world?

LGBTQ+ media and publications are a fantastic source of inspiring information that we owe so much to, however, rarely is the authentic bi experience reflected, despite bi people making up a substantial part of the LGBTQ+ community.

UNICORN, the new magazine from Bi Pride UK, is dedicated to celebrating and uplifting the voices of everyone in the bi umbrella (bi, bisexual, biromantic, pan, pansexual, panromantic, poly, polysexual, polyromantic, queer, fluid, heteroflexible, homoflexible, and anyone who experiences attraction beyond gender).

The content in the first issue is as diverse as you can get.

The content in the first issue is as diverse as you can get: photography, music, illustrations, animations, poetry, articles, opinion pieces, and a cover with a ridiculous amount of bi lighting involved.

The first issue is themed around ‘myth’. Artists from Central America, South Africa, and all over the UK took this theme and either made art with it, or talked about what ‘myth’ means to them. An incredible article from singer and producer Nalu talked about the myth of womanhood and exploring sexuality in LGBTQ+ RnB and hip hop. Blogger Finley explained the myths of being a gay transgender man, which talks about being bi also. Illustrator Bee Anderson offered up some awesome queer illustrations as well as a bespoke ‘myth’ piece. And so many more.

It's an epic article on the myth of being bi, and making awesome art along the way.

On the front cover is self-proclaimed ‘femme renaissance’ performer Victoria with her amazing cover story - it's an epic article on the myth of being bi, and making awesome art along the way.

Abigail Kay, Bi Pride UK Chair, “After breaking the record for the largest gathering of bi people at our inaugural Bi Pride UK event, I'm proud to say Bi Pride UK is making history again in launching the world’s first bi arts and culture magazine. It is a reflection of our wonderful community, full of talent, expression and dispelling myths about people who experience attraction beyond gender.”

Lev Alexander, Bi Pride UK Head of Media and Comms, “UNICORN is the magazine I wish I had growing up. A place of curiosity and intrigue, with amazing art to support it. Finally talking about bi people, from bi people.”

The digital magazine has been made with zero funding and each piece was donated to this community-run project. It will remain a non-profit entity supported by Bi Pride UK. Any profit generated from the digital magazine in the future will go straight back into the community through Bi Pride UK. As part of Bi Pride UK’s mission to support bi people with its Pride events, the organisation wants to to give them a space online to be visible and inspire others.

Read the first issue of UNICORN.