At Touchstone, we believe everyone should be able to live full lives as their true selves. We know that this is only possible if we create environments where people are safe to do so. This Trans Day of Remembrance, we join the calls for a better world where trans people are truly safe to live as themselves.
We know trans people in the UK have been living through a hostile climate for some time, which has recently worsened. Anti-trans hatred is rife across the media and political landscape and there has been a steep rise in hate crime towards trans people. This contributes to a world in which harm and hatred towards trans people is normalised and trans peoples’ happiness and health is deeply impacted. Ultimately, it contributes to a world in which trans people feel, and often are, unsafe.
As a health and wellbeing charity, we understand that many trans people will be feeling the mental health impacts of this climate. We realise, too, that it can feel hard to find support in spaces, where you trust those around you and feel you can be your full self. We know how tiring it can be to be fight discrimination on so many fronts in your life – it should not be an additional difficulty to find safe mental health support. Everyone should know they can find support in a place where they will be safe, respected, and understood. Everyone should have the tools and support to be able to live free, safe lives.
If you need support, Touchstone is here for you however we can be. At Touchstone, we welcome trans staff, volunteers, and service users. We work hard to make our services and teams inclusive, safe spaces for trans people to be a part of and seek support in. We stand firmly against all hatred and oppression directed towards trans people. And when we get it wrong, we welcome feedback and work hard to do better.
At a time when support is needed most, we want to:
- Ensure that trans people know they are welcomed and safe in Touchstone spaces.
- Back up welcoming messages with creating genuinely inclusive spaces e.g. through staff training, implementing a gender identity policy and affirmation plans.
- Address barriers trans people face both when trying to access, and when using, our services.
- Advocate for trans rights and inclusion in partners and systems we work with and in.
We stand with trans people in the UK and everywhere.
We also know that today can often be a day where social media is saturated with difficult statements and statistics about the oppression trans people face, which does little to help the mental health of trans people reading. To offset that intensity, we also want to share these joyful resources showing trans people living full and happy lives (more will be added as we compile them):
