Thread by @MetroUK

It would be an understatement to say it’s been a tough year for trans people

As we go into 2022, I hope that we can build a society where everyone is free to be themselves without fear or persecution ✍ Ugla Stefanía Kristjönudóttir Jónsdóttir
trib.al/gQUQvQF

This year we’ve seen some deeply troubling moves by politicians, such as Florida proposing genital examinations for young children.
metro.co.uk/2021/04/21/gen…

And among adults, research also shows that 65% of trans people still feel that they need to hide who they are at work to get by.
metro.co.uk/2021/04/07/tra…

On top of this, we’ve seen non-binary people being denied the right to have a passport that accurately reflects their identity, after Christie Elan-Cane lost a case in the Supreme Court.
metro.co.uk/2021/12/15/chr…

A ban on conversion therapy is also being dragged on through a needlessly long-winded bureaucratic process, that will likely cost time, money and resources – instead of just banning it like countries such as Germany, Malta, Canada, Brazil and Taiwan.

Instead, outrage over inclusive language – such as claims that referring to ‘pregnant people’ instead of mothers where appropriate is ‘erasing’ women - has dominated the discourse
metro.co.uk/2021/03/24/bir…

The focus on these minor issues is particularly infuriating given that transition-related healthcare in the UK continues to worsen, leaving trans people waiting for up to four years for a single appointment at a gender identity clinic.
metro.co.uk/2021/10/07/im-…

There’s also been a halt on bottom surgeries for trans men and trans masculine people due to the NHS failing to secure a contract - something that’s now subject to judicial review

On top of this, the endless and demoralising debate about what spaces trans people can or cannot use continues, despite the Equality Act 2010 prohibiting discrimination on the basis of protected characteristics.

Trans people have already been using these spaces for decades, and the constant outrage over places like shelters, prisons and sport are unwarranted, where cases of extreme violence are used to generalise about a whole group.

It’s easy to get wrapped up in media debates, and easy to believe that they reflect the real world.

But research shows that the vast majority of people would support family members if they came out as trans - or are indifferent at worst.
metro.co.uk/2021/09/08/tra…

So while the UK is embroiled in this storm of misinformation and anti-trans sentiments and comes to a standstill in regards to LGBTQIA+ rights, the rest of the world will continue to advance and set an example of how to treat trans people and the wider community with respect.

I can only hope that the UK will wake up to that and will pull itself together. ✍️ Ugla Stefanía Kristjönudóttir Jónsdóttir
metro.co.uk/2021/12/29/the…