A wholesome and productive LGBTQ+ seminar

It was an immense privilege to return to Park Regis Hotel for another equality seminar – this time for LGBTQ+ comrades. As is typical of our community, we had between us a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences, but we were all there with the same goals: to better understand how to support one another, change our workplaces for the better, and have a good time. Relative newcomers to the community like me are often afflicted with imposter syndrome, but it was a heartwarming surprise to see how accepting and understanding everyone was. It was also pleasant to see other trans women attend, although we did not have the time to properly meet. Seeing others like me and how confident they were was a huge morale boost.

The material itself was extremely informative and, as always, the workshop exercises allowed us to pool together our group’s collective knowledge and experience to draft strategies for tackling the problems many of us face in the workplace. An especially popular presentation was given by the lovely Saorsa Amatheia-Tweedale about legislation protecting our rights and the hostility the trans community currently faces. The extent of dehumanising rhetoric surrounding trans people, especially trans women, is sadly old news to us and our allies, but it was still a good thing to educate the wider community of our struggles so we can more effectively form a unified front in defence of all our rights. She also expertly described the havoc surrounding the invoking of Section 35 against Scotland’s Gender Reform Recognition Bill. With so much misinformation surrounding this unprecedented undemocratic act and the recent ruling by the Supreme Court that Westminster was ‘in the right’, it was refreshing to hear how thorough the pre-debate consultations were, that self-ID for trans people has led to no increases of sexual assault, and that all contrary arguments were shown to have no basis in reality.

Although things may seem bleak for the LGBTQ+ community, I left the seminar knowing we would have each other’s backs and that we are as united in our struggle as ever.