Hello, hello!
I'm Eli, your LGBTQ+ Officer, and I'm here to wish you all a Happy Transgender Awareness
Week!
For those who may not know, Trans Awareness Week is a week to celebrate and raise visibility
for the trans + non-binary community, raise awareness of issues the community faces, and for
those not part of the community, to educate ourselves on topics regarding the community and
how to be a good ally.
This week leads up to the Transgender Day of Remembrance, a day to
commemorate, remember, and celebrate the transgender people whose lives were lost largely
to incidents of anti-trans violence.
As a cisgender gay guy, it's even more important to me that I use my position as the LGBTQ+
Officer to support the trans + non-binary community, as well as push for the change that needs
to be made here at Brunel to aid the community. This is true not only for this week and article,
but for the entirety of my time as Officer.
In order to celebrate this week, I wanted to create a resource for students to learn more about
the trans + non-binary community and the experiences they face—the joys, the struggles, and
everything in-between. So, I present to you, the Trans Media Vault!
As a Creative Writing student, I believe that creative media is an amazing place to learn about
new experiences and understand them as best we can. I also believe it's an amazing place to
help us better understand experiences we have gone through and learn more about ourselves
in the process. The Trans Media Vault will be a resource composed of various trans media
(books, films, shows, games, plays, etc.) and trans creators, allowing anyone to find new
recommendations to explore and engage with.
To help fill this vault, I'm enlisting the help of everyone reading this! If there's any trans media
you like and want to share with others, submit it to the vault. I've set up a Microsoft Forms
survey linked at the bottom of this article where you can do this—just write down the name of
the media/creator, and if you'd like, a little bit about it. I'll then compile the submissions received
and fill the vault with them all. Contributing to this collection would be massively appreciated and
I can't wait to see what everyone has to share!
Additionally, I want to draw awareness to the Transgender Day of Remembrance Service being hosted on November 19th at The Meeting House. As I mentioned before, this will be an
occasion to honour and commemorate the lost lives of transgender people, especially to
anti-trans violence. It's beyond important that we remember these members of the community
and acknowledge the transphobic violence that cuts a devastating amount of trans lives short.
On the 19th, doors will open at 4:20 pm and the service will begin at 4:30 pm. If you are able to,
please join us in paying our respects and commemorations.
In addition to the Trans Media Vault and the TDoR Service, I'd encourage any cisgender people
(people who identify with the gender they were assigned at birth/people who aren't trans) to take
some time this week to educate themselves and update their knowledge on the trans +
non-binary community. This could be learning more about Trans Awareness Week and its
history, familiarising yourself with trans terminology, and listening to/reading about the
experiences of trans + non-binary people, just to name a few.
I've linked some resources you could start with at the bottom of this article, including some
videos made by last year's LGBTQ+ Officer Morgan, but there's so much out there to look into
and I really hope you do. A vital part of being an ally is learning about the experiences of people
in the community, how to be as respectful as possible, and how best to support them. Happy
researching!
Now, as positive as I want to keep this article, I believe the world's social + political climate and
the significant effects they have on trans + non-binary people cannot be ignored and need to be
acknowledged. As most of you know, the state of the world right now is unfortunately a very
hostile one. Hostile against all minorities, including the trans + non-binary community. It is
incredibly frightening, exhausting, and demoralising to live in a world and society that maintains
such a hateful, vicious stance on who you are, when all you want is to exist in peace and have
at least the basic amount of respect you deserve. And I truly am sorry about this.
No one should have to live in a constant state of fear, apprehension, anger, dejection, fatigue,
and so much more. To anyone who does, your feelings are entirely valid and you do not deserve
this treatment.
So, where does Brunel come into this?
Regardless of how bad things are in society and the political world, I want Brunel to be a safe
space for the trans + non-binary community. Whether home's not a comfortable space or
whether this is your home. Whether you know exactly who you are or whether you have no idea
how to start understanding yourself. Whether you aren't afraid of the world we live in or whether
you're terrified of the world we live in. If nowhere else is or can be, I want Brunel to be a place
where you can truly be yourself, whatever that means for you. And more than anything, I want to
do everything I can to continue creating the best version of that place as possible.
I really encourage anyone who needs them to make use of the services Brunel offers to support
its students. Links to all of these will be included at the bottom of this article.
If you need someone to talk to, please do reach out to the uni's Student Welfare Team. They
can provide you with access to mental health advisers and counsellors who will be able to help
and support you through your struggles. Reaching out in difficult times is so important and I
really recommend you do so if you need that support.
Whilst I sincerely hope no one needs to do this, if you have been the target of any form of
harassment or hate crime and want to report it, please do use Report+Support (anonymously or including contact details). I know how hard it can be to process what happened, let alone relive that experience by reporting it, but the option to seek help and justice is there whenever you are ready for it.
You may be familiar with Brunel’s Student Networks, which are student-led communities that
both represent and support minorities and underrepresented groups here at Brunel. They
provide an opportunity for students to raise concerns and issues they face as part of a minority
group to the University, as well as advocate and lobby for change that needs to occur. Whilst it
isn't operating yet, an LGBTQ+ Student Network is in the works and will hopefully be arriving
soon. Until then, if you do have any issues you'd like to see solved or improved, my email is
always open and I'd be more than happy to discuss them with you.
Additionally, the LGBTQ+ society exists as a safe and fun space for LGBTQ+ students. Not only
being part of the community, but feeling welcome in it is important to many people, and the
society is a great place to find this connection to other LGBTQ+ students at Brunel. As the
LGBTQ+ Officer, I'm also here to talk about anything you need and offer my support to the best
of my ability, so please don't hesitate to contact me.
As cliché as it may sound, for the trans + non-binary community, wider LGBTQ+ community, and
also any allies that truly support us, sticking together, standing together, and existing together is
so important right now and always. Be there for each other, continue advocating for change if
you're able to, and do not lose faith in who you are. Your identity and your person are valid no
matter what anyone says, thinks, or does. Be proud of yourself and whatever journey you've
taken to get to today, because you're stronger than you think you are for continuing to keep going.
To any trans or non-binary people reading this, take some time this week to treat yourself, take
care of yourself, and appreciate yourself. You absolutely deserve it. To any allies reading this,
take some time this week to further educate yourself, show your support for the community, and
continue being the best ally you can be.
Don't forget to submit your favourite trans media to the Trans Media Vault linked below (in
addition to looking out for the Vault being published) and join us for the Transgender Day of
Remembrence service at the Meeting House on November 19th.
Stay strong, have fun, be gay. Happy Trans Awareness Week!
Eli❤️
Links Mentioned: