Trans Day of Visibility is an annual date which seeks to raise awareness and recognition for the trans and non-binary community. Currently, no statistics exist as to how many people in the UK are Transgender, as this information has not been asked for on the Census prior to 2021. The Government Equalities Office estimated in 2018 that around 200,000-500,000 people in the UK are trans. Stonewall estimates that number to be closer to 600,000 out of a population of 60 million.
Trans Day of Visibility serves as an opportunity not just to celebrate the lives of Trans and Non-binary people, but also as a reminder of the struggles this community faces continuously both on a societal and personal basis. It is important that we, as allies, show up and help overcome these struggles alongside the trans community. Here are some ways which you can help as an ally. Scroll down to the bottom of the page for further resources.
To celebrate TDOV, we wanted share some words from some friends of the brand and the wonderful people we work with - the brilliant Tj (@tjlucasbox), Jem (@jem.stevens) and Ben (@benpechey), who speak about what Trans Day of Visibility means to them. See the video here.
We politely ask that you respect the personal boundaries of our collaborators, and do not message any of them via their private messages.
We're thrilled to also have a guest blog written by Tj, speaking about their story, allyship and the importance of clothing to gender identity.
Hey! I am Tj, and I am a Transmasculine, Non-binary human with a lot of love to give. I use they/them pronouns. I am an LGBTQ+ advocate and I absolutely adore people being themselves.
I always aim to spread awareness and educate others about the community and Trans and Non-binary people. I also aid brands, like Lucy & Yak, showing them how they can be more inclusive and diverse. I believe this is something that Lucy & Yak already do well.
As a Trans/Non-binary person, there are many daily struggles to deal with, and how others perceive us accounts for most of them. That’s where fashion comes in.
Gender neutral clothing has been a huge outlet for me, and I know it has for others too. Clothing throughout the years has enabled me to be creative with expressing my identity, even before I was openly Transgender and Non-binary.
I feel the more I have become confident in who I am, the more adventurous I am becoming with exploring my style. I never used to wear bright colours before I was “out”, whereas now I would feel comfortable in wearing anything, because I am truly confident in who I am now.
When it comes to shopping and buying clothes, and the only options I have are Men’s and Women’s, I gravitate towards the Men's section. I hate that I have to do this when I don’t identify as a Man.
This is why Unisex and Gender-Neutral clothing has been a saviour for me. It really gives me freedom in choosing clothes for what they are, rather than their label. It means that I have no more anxiety based on what section they are coming from.
Equally I am someone who just sees clothes for clothes, and I personally don’t attach a gender to a piece of fabric.
I don’t think Men's and Women's sections should be completely abolished - it’s more that I wish Unisex would become a more standardised option throughout the clothing industry.
Lucy & Yak have gender neutral/unisex options which is great. They're the first company that allow me to feel comfortable in something like a pair of dungarees. Trans and Non-binary people should be embraced for the beauty they bring to this world just like Cisgender people are, and that is something Lucy & Yak do for me.
It would be beautiful to see people just accepting others for who they are, irrespective of what gender tag their clothes have attached to them, and to allow others to express themselves through fashion without being afraid of what others may think.
This is where educating people is important, but it shouldn’t just be down to Trans and/or Non-binary people themselves. Every time we have to educate someone on the trans community (which is daily) we are opening ourselves up to trauma whilst also risking abuse and/or harm.
This is where trans allies can play a huge role in creating space for trans and non-binary people. There are many ways for allies to help, whether that be stating pronouns in their emails and/or social media bios, sharing important and educational posts to friends, or passing on information to people who need further educating on what language is and isn’t appropriate.
Ultimately Trans and/or Non-binary people want to feel confident and comfortable being themselves within society and the normalisation of things like gender neutral clothing and sharing pronouns can play a crucial part in helping that.
Helping the trans and non-binary community feel comfortable and confident is the job of everyone, and not just the LGBTQIA+ community. That’s why Trans Day Of Visibility is an important one to remember. It’s a day for everyone to celebrate trans people and spread the word that Trans is beautiful.
If you are wondering how you can help more as an ally, or perhaps find yourself in need of support for yourself or a loved one, we have compiled a list of resources (below) of helpful links for both trans people and allies.
From everyone at Lucy & Yak, Happy Trans Day of Visibility!
LGBTQ+ advocates, educators and activists to follow on Instagram:
Ben Pechey https://www.instagram.com/benpechey/
Tj Lucas-Box https://www.instagram.com/tjlucasbox/
Jem Stevens https://www.instagram.com/jem.stevens/
Munroe Burgdorf https://www.instagram.com/munroebergdorf/
Exist Loudly https://www.instagram.com/existloudly/
Alok Menon https://www.instagram.com/alokvmenon/
Black Trans Foundation https://www.instagram.com/blacktransfoundation/
Trans Actual UK - https://www.instagram.com/transactualuk/
My Genderation - https://www.instagram.com/mygenderation/
Learnest - https://www.instagram.com/learnestcic/
Support, resources and helplines for Trans People and their support networks
Gendered Intelligence Youth Groups http://genderedintelligence.co.uk/support/trans-youth
The Proud Trust https://www.theproudtrust.org/national-trans-youth-network/
All about Trans https://www.allabouttrans.org.uk/about/support-organisations/ - A wonderful list of local support groups across the UK.
LGBT Switchboard helpline https://switchboard.lgbt/
Trans Unite – find a transgender support group near you: https://www.transunite.co.uk/
Trans Bare All, Improving Health and Wellbeing of Trans people https://www.transbareall.co.uk/
Mermaids – Support for Gender Diverse children and their families https://mermaidsuk.org.uk/
Allies - Here, you’ll find resources that can help you become a better ally to the Trans community
How to be an ally to Trans People https://www.glaad.org/amp/beginners-guide-being-ally-to-trans-people
What it’s like to be Trans in 2021 – resources put together by The Black Trans Foundation https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vBRGKMdQ7z8cqkCk1W6EOSG_vCtM5B5uSBfKbxH_9HM/edit
Amnesty’s guide to being a trans ally: https://www.amnesty.org.uk/LGBTQ-equality/gender-identity-beginners-guide-trans-allies
Ben Pechey’s LGBTQ+ resources: https://www.instagram.com/benpechey/guide/lgbtqia-resources/17856201842332817/
All contributors to Lucy & Yak’s Trans Day of Visibility video and blog post have been paid for their contribution. As part of our celebration of TDOV, Lucy & Yak has donated to Black Trans Therapy Fund which supports Black Transgender and gender non-conforming people in the UK access therapy.