4 minute read
ELLIOT DOUGLAS
By Rachel Badham
INTRODUCING... ELLIOT DOUGLAS
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The up and coming content creator talks trans representation, deaf inclusion and why we need to address homelessness among LGBTQ+ youth.
From partnering with The Buzz to provide vital educational content for young deaf people, to collaborating with Gay Times in a move to shine a light on diversity and inclusivity in the queer community, 21-yearold YouTube creator and trans rights advocate Elliot Douglas is certainly making waves on the LGBTQ+ scene.
After taking a hiatus from his drama degree in light of the pandemic, Elliot is dedicating his time to offering the representation that he didn’t see as a young, queer, disabled person.
After receiving a “flattering” offer to work alongside The Buzz, the only educational community website for young deaf people in the UK, Elliot says:
A proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, Elliot’s online presence has provided a safe space for many young trans and queer people: “With having a platform, I worry that people put me on a pedestal. But I don’t want to seem out of reach – I used to feel alone in my transness and my queerness so to see so many young people just existing as trans people is amazing. If I can, I just want to give some of that support which I didn’t have as a young person.”
However, the LGBTQ+ community is not without barriers to those living with disabilities such as Elliot, who said queer events need to take steps to improve accessibility: “I went to the first Trans Pride in London a few years ago and but I couldn’t actually get close enough to lip-read the speakers... It’s all about making sure these events are accommodating to everyone, and so much more needs to be done.”
On the other side of the coin, disabled trans people often face greater limits on their access to gender-affirming healthcare, with Elliot highlighting that many gender clinics aren’t accessible in terms of travel, while also not providing essential services such as interpreters to accommodate the deaf community. Discussing the issue, he said: “Members of the disabled community have sometimes been turned away from receiving healthcare and I think that’s so important to talk about – trans healthcare is not always accessible to those who need it.”
So what can be done to improve accessibility and inclusion across the board? Elliot believes it begins with small steps: “Little things really make a difference. I went go-karting with my friend Noah [YouTube creator NOAHFINNCE] and the first thing he did was ask me: ‘Hey man, can you see the instructor’s lips, do you want to stand here?’ It was such a small act but it just made my day.” “We’re all our own people and we forget that someone else’s experiences might be a bit different, so I think everything should be done with an openness to learning.”
As Elliot continues to share his experiences online with the hope of educating and supporting others, he’s planning to begin sharing his full story: “I was homeless at one point, and I want young LGBTQ+ people to know that they’re not alone. One in four homeless youth are LGBTQ+ people and I could actually see that when I was at the halfway house I lived in. I could see visually, we did make up 25% of the people that lived there, and that’s just telling.”
However, three years down the line, Elliot –now living with his boyfriend in London –says: “I want to start talking more openly about homelessness because the pandemic has given me time to process these things a bit more... I have to remind myself to be proud of myself for how far I’ve come.” Also in the pipeline for the creator is discussing the realities of life with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) to create a discourse around the rarely spoken-of mental health condition: “With my BPD, I’m constantly finding new ways to work on myself. People with BPD get so much stick but, like everyone else, I think we just want to be loved and accepted.” “I don’t want to seem out of reach – I used to feel alone in my transness and my queerness so to see so many young people just existing as trans people is amazing”
As Elliot’s following continues to grow, he is becoming ever more prominent in the LGBTQ+ community after being selected to be one of the faces of Gay Times’ GT133 team – a group of emerging queer talent, selected for their bold individuality and dedication to promoting inclusion for all LGBTQ+ people. The project was set up to help younger audiences interact with the brand, with Tag Warner, Gay Times’ chief executive, saying the publication is “proud to be spearheading this movement” of Gen-Z LGBTQ+ people being brought together. Elliot, alongside seven other LGBTQ+ creators, can be found on TikTok @gaytimes sharing educational content and spreading queer joy in a time when so many of us are in need of it.
Elliot Douglas
