National LGBT Conference, Manchester - 17–19 Nov 2006
Report on workshop on Trans Awareness
At the beginning of this year, the Scottish LGBT Committee
held a joint training event with our colleagues in Northern Ireland.
Part of this training was trans awareness and a session was held
with representatives from the Glasgow LGBT Centre. Everyone agreed
that they had found this training to be very helpful and that it
could be beneficial to be delivered at the National LGBT Conference.
This proposal was taken to the National LGBT Committee
who agreed that we could host a training session on the Saturday
afternoon at conference.
David Calderwood (the other Scottish rep on the National
LGBT Committee) and I hosted this event, which proved to be very
successful. Over 40 people attended and this was a mix of trans
and non trans members.
We began by showing a video that had been put together
as training for NHS staff in Scotland. The video features trans
members in Scotland speaking candidly about their experiences of
being trans. From when they were first aware, coming out to family,
friends and colleagues and their experiences of prejudice in their
everyday lives. The video is extremely powerful and many of the
people in attendance were moved to tears.
After the video, we opened up a discussion and people
spoke frankly about their experiences and how we as an LGBT group
and in the wider union can move the issues forward.
Most people at the session are keen to take the issue
back to their branches and requested copies of the training pack
and/or for Scottish delegates to visit to deliver this training
to branches and officers. Many people said the workshop had been
the highlight of the conference for them, and some admitted it had
changed their life in that for the first time ever, they felt totally
included and equal and felt encouraged to build on that.
Next year’s conference is due to be held in Glasgow,
and the Scottish LGBT Committee will ensure that we build on this
very positive response.
This was only our second conference as an LGBT group.
Last year we had only 3 or 4 trans members in attendance but this
year that figure has already grown to 16 or more. Most of these
individuals have never been activists before and are now keen to
become involved at all levels of the union. This is a huge success
for the union.
We are also delighted to welcome our first Scottish
trans member to the committee who will represent the Trans Caucus.
Elaine Duffy
Scottish rep to National LGBT Committee
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