Trans support is vital. There are 15,000 people currently in gender services in the UK alone. Each person that is referred for an appointment currently has to wait approximately 14 months before their first point of contact even occurs, (unless you are able to afford several hundreds to go private with your treatment) and a 6 month wait between each appoint.

I believe that as a university, it is important to help and support people whom are struggling with their gender identity in any way shape or form. We have an obligation to care for any struggling students, and transgender individuals should be no different. We, as a university, should work on educating and understand transgender issues, as well as allowing any and all students to access specific support with their journeys.

If you nominate me as your trans officer, I pledge to work with as many people as possible, both staff and students, to provide the best possible support for transgender and gender questioning students. In order to do so, I will provide VP Welfare, the welfare team, college wardens and mental health services with the information they need in order to support transgender students. This could include information about external support services and charities, what students can do if they are concerned about their gender, information about relieving dysphoria amongst trans students and information regarding the transitioning process. I plan to create awareness amongst students, to prevent any negative attention to Trans students, particularly in situations such as using the bathrooms.

Alongside speaking to the welfare and mental health staff, I will keep in close contact with a range of societies, in order to organise fundraisers and/or awareness events on the topic, in order to raise money for Transgender/LGBT charities and in the hope to be able to raise enough money to set up a termly give away of items to help relieve dysphoria e.g. Binders, Packers etc.

My main aim in becoming your trans officer is to provide students and staff with the information they need regarding the processes within transitioning. I aim to provide staff with further knowledge about being transgender, how to support people who are transgender and how to help people who are worried or confused by their birth sex. I hope that myself along with others at the university will be able to provide sufficient support and information to people who are currently on the long NHS waiting list as well as people who aren’t yet there or even past that staged, simply to make them feel less alone and provide them with the help and support they need.

Key Plans;

• Fundraisers for both Roehampton Student Support and external charities.
• Frequent meeting with Mental Health Staff and Welfare team to keep them informed on what we as Trans students need.
• Campaigns to tackle comments made whilst Trans people are using their preferred bathroom.
• Events such as movie nights/pre drinks to bring Trans people and allies at the university together.