Welcome to Transphobia.

Hi

Welcome to this week’s blog. We have another guest blogger, or rather bloggers, and the format is a little different from usual. This week we’re posting a video. This isn’t the first video that we’ve posted, but it’s certainly the first for a while.

The video was made by Out2gether Worcestershire, for National Hate Crime Awareness week, 2020. Out2gether Worcestershire, is an LGBT+ charity working to build friendship, support and community for LGBT+ folks and allies in Worcester and South Worcestershire

It shares real life stories, captured in poetry, portraying the destructive, ugly effects of hate. All the poems are powerful; the trauma of reliving their experiences, evident. They’re taken from the Anthology, “Standing Proud”. This is a collaborative project between Out2gether and The Word Association; a collective of writers and artists, passionate about using art to make a social impact.

Ahead of Transgender Day of Remembrance (Friday 20th November), I’d like to draw your attention to one in particular: The poem, ‘Welcome to Transphobia’. It’s the last video in the collection, number 11.

Listening to their stories reinforced for me the importance of allyship, or being an ally. It doesn’t matter whether you are a ‘straight ally’, a ‘white ally’ a ‘male ally’. What matters is that you are prepared to listen, learn about the experiences of marginalised groups; empathise with their challenges, and help create inclusive spaces where they are valued, supported and heard.

Being an ally isn’t a label you can give yourself though. It’s a verb. It’s your ongoing actions that lead others to recognise you as an ally.

If you’d like to find out more about Out2gether, you can visit their facebook page www.facebook.com/Out2gether.

If you’d like to find out about LGBT+ support groups in Gloucestershire check out the local LGBT+ Partnership at https://www.lgbtchelt.co.uk/ or go to their facebook page https://www.facebook.com/LGBTchelt/