Advice and Information

A transgender person is someone who does not identify with the gender assigned to them at birth. Transgender can also be shortened to trans, which is used as an umbrella term to describe a host of labels/identities, including Transgender, Non-Binary, Genderfluid, Genderqueer and many more.

Non-binary gender identity is just one term used to describe individuals who may experience a gender identity that is neither exclusively male or female or is in between or beyond both genders.

Gender dysphoria is the feeling of discomfort or distress that might occur in people whose gender identity differs from their sex assigned at birth or sex-related physical characteristics.

Gender identity is your own personal understanding of your gender and how you want the world to see you.

'Sex' describes what you are assigned at birth vs 'Gender' which describes the traditional social roles for males and females.

Very simply put, a trans person who is transitioning from female to male.

There is no right or wrong time to come out as trans to your family; however before you do make. sure that you've come out to yourself. Present to your family either collectively or one-by-one; whatever you feel comfortable with. There will be many questions, but don't worry if you can't answer them all. There are plenty of educational resources available online and/or videos of trans people for them to explore. There may be a little discomfort as some families members fail to understand, so you have to be patient. Don't let this discourage you, simply move forward and be confident. Finding your new you will be a journey.`

If your child is consistently showing signs that their gender identity or expression does not match the gender that was assigned to them at birth, parents should take that seriously, and let the child live based on their clearly and persistently expressed identity. For more information on supporting gender-diverse kids, please visit our friends at Mermaids

Watch below as Jodie Patterson, author of The Bold World shares her story of raising her trans son

The Gender Recognition Act 2004 (GRA) allows trans people to apply for legal recognition of the gender in which they live. The current act needs to be reformed so that it is accessible to all, becomes de-medicalised and irrelevant red-tape is removed. Trans people deserve to be able to easily gain legal recognition of their gender identity.

Pronouns are important when talking about someones gender identity. Some may identify as 'he', 'she', or 'they'. If someone asks you to call them by a particular pronoun, it's important to respect their wishes.

A definite mark on your calendar is UK Black Pride, Europe’s largest celebration for LGBTQ people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Middle Eastern and Latin American descent.