Hi all! I’m leaving Trans Aid Cymru, I’ve been with TAC for over 4 years now as one of the founders, and I think I’ve devoted enough time to it and its time for new blood to take over and continue TAC. I’m still active with Trans Safety Network, available for freelance gigs, and media inquiries. Contact me via my email and my socials referenced on my website. Some of the more personal reasons on why below: My friend Laolu passed last year and the anniversary is coming up, and my fiancée’s grandfather passed recently. It’s taken a toll on me. While I still want to be involved in activism and the sort, I think being a part of TAC was burning my candle at both ends and causing me a lot more stress than mental health and fibromyalgia can deal with, so I’m taking time to grieve and give myself time to heal.

This is the speech I gave on 14th June, at the Pink News Cardiff Summer Reception. Trans Aid Cymru was invited as the community partner, and politicians from all the major parties in Wales were present. It was a rare opportunities to voice our anger and frustration about how disenfranchised the trans, intersex and non-binary community feels. My initial draft was way too long and angry, it was difficult to cut out parts, as frankly there is a lot to angry about. Anyway, here’s the speech:

I was silenced at a the Llais Fanc, a youth hustings event, when speaking up for Trans Rights.

Some explainers on some words and the setting e.g (what is Llais Fanc?)

The Llais Fanc is supposed to be a youth (16-25) hustings event in order to help inform young people make informed decisions for the upcoming Senedd (Welsh Assembly) Elections and get them enthusiastic about electoral politics. It is organised by Youth Cymru, a charity with the aim to “bring about positive change for young people in Wales” through their “grass roots values and strategic influence”.

Here is my speech I gave at a TDoR vigil this year, I thought I’d publish it on here

Hello everyone, we’ve all come here today to remember the trans people who are not with us anymore. This year has been especially hard. The pandemic has made us feel more isolated. Many trans people who were stuck in abusive situations, unable to leave due to the coronavirus. The added times to waiting list for not just transition related care, but mental health, physio or even GP appointments. The black trans people we have lost due to police brutality and white supremacy. The constant attack on trans people in the British media. 2020 has been chaotic for trans people to say the least. All of these things and many more have cost trans lives.