Like many LGBT people, I have resigned myself to a lifetime of coming out. That cataclysmic moment three years ago when I finally told my parents that I was gay was just the beginning. The all-pervasive heterosexism of our society means that assumptions are made and conclusions drawn about our sexuality and identity which limit us to heterosexual ‘normality’. In order for anyone to get to know the real me, I have to tell them about my sexuality, which impacts on so many areas of my life. Many times, however, I’ve encountered disbelief. “You can’t be a lesbian – you have long hair!” is one of the most common and pathetic responses. Stereotypes of identities exist because they make other people feel safe, but they leave me feeling frustrated, devalued and often isolated.

When someone questions my sexuality, I am offended and upset. But if someone ever questioned my gender identity, my anger and distress would be far greater. I am lucky enough to feel comfortable in my own body, but many trans people face persistent questioning of their gender identity, and abuse for not conforming to socially accepted gender ‘norms’. Those who do not fulfil or follow expected gender roles and patterns are frequently rejected by their peers. This transphobia hinges on a perceived difference in an individual’s appearance or behaviour. Frequently, trans young people are subject to similar discrimination, disadvantage and bullying to lesbian, gay and bisexual young people, because they transcend gender ‘norms’ and are therefore difficult for others to label or categorise. I believe that much homophobic and transphobic bullying arises from our heteronormative society’s fear of those who they don’t understand because they don’t conform to expected gender roles. People question my sexuality because I don’t fit the heavily gendered stereotype that they see as ‘lesbian’, in the same way that people question the gender identity of trans people because they don’t fit with their idea of the categories and the stereotypes that people should conform to.

Last year, our conference finally acknowledged that trans people have a place in our campaign. This inclusion simply makes sense. Historically, LGBT people have all faced oppression because our existence challenges rigid and repressive notions of appropriate gender behaviour. The prejudice against and stereotyping of trans people has been virtually indistinguishable from that directed against the LGB community. Trans people, like LGB people, go through a process of self-identification, self acceptance and ‘coming out’ which can make our experience of discrimination distinctive from other oppressed groups. But it’s important to note that inclusion is about ensuring that trans people are an integral rather than an additional part of the campaign. This ‘T’ needs to be more than purely symbolic. It needs to be about making a positive change for trans students.

Since Summer conference, we have taken practical steps to make our conferences more accessible to trans students. We now include the option of ‘trans-safe’ accommodation on our registration document. Rather than the previous system of offering the two options of a women’s-place voting card and an open-place voting card, we have acknowledged that the open-place card is usually regarded as the ‘men’s card’ and so have included a third option. Those who choose this third option will not be eligible to vote in women’s caucus, as they do not self-define as women, but are not limited to defining their gender in choosing a card.

We now need to go further than this. There is so much work that we can do around trans issues – trans people are still excluded from protection in the provision of goods and services, they face horrendous delays and treatment at the hands of our NHS, and they face discrimination and abuse from bigots who cannot accept them.

This work needs to begin at the grass roots level. Some LGB student groups still fail to include the ‘T’, and thus send out the message to trans people that they are not welcome. Many LGBT groups fail to cater for their trans members by not including them in campaigns, running inaccessible events, and maintaining a heavily gendered committee structure without trans representation. LGB members of LGBT groups need to share their activism and their support with trans members, because together we can run a truly cohesive and inclusive campaign.

Next term I will be producing a pack on including, retaining and activating trans people within our movement, to coincide with the trans day, as part of our Under Construction campaign.

The Blogs on this site represent the individual views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the policies or practices of the National Union of Students.

All links in blogs will open in a new browser window.

The permanent URL for this specific blog entry is: http://www.officeronline.co.uk/blogs/claireanderson/273358.aspx