01 Jan We can all play a part in making things easier for trans and non-binary people

By Aby Hawker.

‘Diverse’ is unlikely to be an adjective that immediately springs to mind when you look at me. I am white, cisgender, straight, non-disabled, married, two kids, one cat one dog…

So, you may well be wondering what am I doing running an agency that provides specialist consultancy to those wanting to make their communications more inclusive of transgender and non-binary people.

Let me explain.

In 2016 I was offered my dream job, head of comms for a start-up healthcare provider, hell-bent on turning the woefully inadequate healthcare provision for gender variant people in the UK, on its head.

The job was, in essence, the perfect PR role:

• It was in a new and emerging area bound to attract media attention
• It was unashamedly tackling social injustice head on
• The founder was a big believer in PR (and loved being interviewed!) and, most importantly,
• It had the potential to make a real difference to people’s lives

At the time I did not know any trans people, but what I did know, and could completely get to grips with, was that this group of people were getting a raw deal when it came to their healthcare, and this company wanted to change that. So I jumped at the chance of getting involved.

The more I got to know the community, the more I understood the utter devastation that was being felt by this group of people who were being marginalised just because their experience of their gender was different to that of the majority. The more I learned, the more I wanted to help.

It was a crazy ride, with the highest of highs. I was flying by the seat of my pants, 100 miles an hour, days, nights, weekends spent living and breathing all things trans. I was working behind the scenes, learning from the community, meeting amazing people, raising awareness of their challenges, feeling heartbreak at their struggles, breaking down barriers, educating the media, engaging with stakeholders, managing crises and, ultimately, feeling like I was making a real difference.

When my contract came to an end, I knew I couldn’t walk away from this community when there was still so much work to do – so I channeled all I had learned into a new venture: TransMission PR.

What I have learned

The past six years have taught me the importance of listening to the experiences of others, of standing back and allowing others to take the stage. Those I have met have taught me about being open to the experiences of others and understanding that my perspective is just that, mine. I have learned what true resilience looks like and why the quest for authenticity is so important, as well as the privilege of being trusted as an ally.

I have also learned the importance of regularly reminding myself of my privilege and the fact that, as a cis woman, while I can learn and educate myself, talk and listen to trans people, feel pain on their behalf, immerse myself fully in all that it means to be gender variant, I will never truly know what it is like to be trans. All I can do is work with the community to try to get their voices heard.

So what is TransMission PR hoping to achieve?

The aim of Transmission PR is three-fold:

1. To act as a conduit and a facilitator, opening doors for trans people to step through.
2. To provide job opportunities in the communications sector for trans and non-binary people at all levels, so that they are the ones directing the narrative, ably supported by their cis colleagues.
3. To provide third parties with the insights, education and direction they need to inform and guide the way in which they communicate with trans and non-binary individuals. The aim being that the resulting campaigns – and their communications in general – will be more considerate and more inclusive.

The ultimate mission – lofty as it may seem – is that the work of the team at TransMission PR will help to positively influence the narrative for trans people in the UK by making trans people an integral part of the conversation.

Some food for thought:

• Trans and non-binary people have always existed.
• Trans adults started life as trans kids.
• Trans people face high levels of harassment and discrimination.
• Nearly 7 in 10 young trans people have been subjected to death threats at school.
• 51% of trans people have hidden their identity at work for fear of discrimination.
• 1 in 8 British trans people have been physically attacked at work.
• 1 in three UK employers say they would be less likely to hire a trans person.
• Public figures put the estimated number of trans people at 1% of the population (though this is likely to be higher).

We can all play a part in making things easier for trans and non-binary people, we just have to be interested – and respectful – enough to make the effort.

If you or your organisation are keen to understand more about how to make your communications more inclusive of gender diverse individuals, get in touch. Whatever the project, large or small, we would be delighted to help.

Aby Hawker is the Founder of TransMission PR, she is a passionate trans advocate and active ally.