Up and Coming Issue 3 - VISIBLE

Issue 3

Visible

+ De-bunking LGBT myths + What is Gender? + Flying the Flag

Celebrating LGBT issues around Merthyr Tydfil and Beyond

Up and Coming- Issue 3

It’s everyone’s responsibility to take care of each other.

What’s in a Word?

LGBT stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender Lesbian, Gay and Bi-sexual are terms used to help understand who you find yourself attracted to.

Transgender is about how you choose to express you gender identity – how you feel and want to dress or act.

LGBTQ, LGBT+ and LGBT*are also sometimes used, Q meaning Queer and the * or + symbols for those who don’t neatly fit into a category. The Q may also mean Questioning, for those who are exploring their gender and sexuality.

Remember you are more than a label!

Remember.

You are more than a label!

Thanks to: Visible LGBT Groups, Safer Merthyr Tydfil, VAMT, MTBWYF, MTCBC. Contributors: Josh Williams, Morgan Ellis, Ryan Crowley Editors: Tom Stupple, Maxine Ridge, Kathryn Jarrett.

Magazine designed by: Joy Creative | www.joycreative.org

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Visible was set up to bring the LGBT community of Merthyr Tydfil together and be more visible as a LGBT friendly location to live, work, rest and play.

It is through training, positive promotion and events that we can support the true ethos of giving each person an opportunity to know and receive dignity, respect, equal and equitable experiences in life that every one of us deserves.

“Our vision is for all people across Cwm Taf to feel free to express themselves, valued for their uniqueness and take responsibility for their environment. We need to support the next generation to create a society where this is possible.” - Visible.

This magazine has been created by Visible and the young people from the Up and Coming Project. It is here to celebrate all people who identify as LGBT and in this issue, we’ll have a focus on issues around transgender.

In this issue / Key Legislation

4

Our Stories

5

Transitioning

6-8

Guide for Allies

9

What is Gender

10

Let’s Get Things Straight: De-bunking LGBT Myths

11

LGBT history in Wales

12

Cwm Taf FFRINDIAU LGBT Network

13

20th Century Culture

14-15

Useful Websites and Numbers

16

Sexual Health

17

Glossary

18-19

Events Timetable

Back

www.smt.org.uk

Up and Coming- Issue 3

Who decided that boys like blue and girls like pink?

We all know what it’s like to wake up and not know what to wear.

Or to have a day when none of the clothes in the wardrobe seem right. Or maybe wonder about the roles and responsibilities society has decided to give us.

But what if every day felt like that?

And what does it matter what clothes you decide to wear?

Or who you choose to fall in love with, or spend the night with?

Maybe it’s time we all start to question the rules that have grown up around us - as maybe they are walls that makes us all less human and less free.

A world where we can accept everyone based on their actions and not on who they are or who they choose to love would surely be a better and richer world for us all.

The Rainbow Flag.

The rainbow flag, commonly known as the gay pride flag and sometimes the LGBT pride flag, is a symbol of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) pride and LGBT social movements.

The rainbow flag has been in use since the 1970s. The colours reflect the diversity of the LGBT community, and the flag is often used as a symbol of gay pride in LGBT rights marches.

The flag is commonly flown horizontally, with the red stripe on top, as it would be in a natural rainbow.

Rainbow Flag Timeline 2009 Gwent police and North Wales police were the first public organisations to fly the rainbow flag in Wales.

2010 South Wales Police fly the rainbow flag.

Safer Merthyr Tydfil Voluntary Action Centre 89-90 Pontmorlais Merthyr Tydfil CF47 8UH

2011

2012

“As a sign of our commitment to supporting the rights of every individual and supporting our LGBT communities, South Wales Police is pleased to be supporting Merthyr County Borough Council and the Visible Project in the raising of the Rainbow Pride flag today. The flag symbolises our pledge to our communities that we will tackle all crime, including homophobic, biphobic and transphobic hate crime. Our aim is for people of South Wales to live in an environment that is open and welcoming, and free from discrimination.”

2013 Welsh National Assembly fly the rainbow flag.

2014 Office of National Statistics fly the rainbow flag.

Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council fly the rainbow flag with Visible LGBT.

Hate Crime Officer PC Andrew Jones South Wales Police 2015

Registered Charity Number 1062150 Registered Number 3361902 Tel: (01685) 353999 Fax: (01685) 353990 INVESTING IN A SAFER MERTHYR

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Up and Coming- Issue 3

Key Legislation.

What about the Law and our Human Rights?

Fairness and equality are basic British values. Parliament established the Women’s and Equalities Committee to provide the opportunity for on-going focused scrutiny of where fairness and equality are not yet a reality of day-to-day life. A litmus test for any society that upholds the principles of fairness and equality is the extent to which it supports and protects the rights and interests of every citizen, even the most marginalised groups.

Under the Equality Act, 2010, schools and other organisations must have due regard to the need to: • • •

eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct prohibited by the act; advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not; and foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.

The act refers to the following protected characteristics: • • • • • • • • •

age; disability; gender reassignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion or belief; sex; and sexual orientation.

The Equality Act provides protection from discrimination because of sexual orientation and gender reassignment.

This means that it is unlawful for schools to treat pupils less favourably because of their gender reassignment and that schools will have to factor in gender reassignment when considering their obligations under the new Equality Duty.

Gender reassignment is defined in the Equality Act as applying to anyone who is undergoing, has undergone or is proposing to undergo a process (or part of a process) of reassigning their sex by changing physiological or other attributes.

This definition means that to be protected under the act, a pupil will not necessarily have to be undertaking a medical procedure to change their sex but must be taking steps to live in the opposite gender or proposing to do so. (Look at our Transition page to find out more.)

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Up and Coming- Issue 3

Our Stories.

“I have beautif ul daughters an d one of them happens to be a lesbian wom an and I have seen her strugg le. I have know n her struggle and I see her still struggle de spite at last being in a rela tionship of he r choosing.”

I can honestly say se, me and my family, “We aren’t all that clo r feels and if I’m my youngest brothe that I don’t know how bject in case he su the nervous to raise at wh me so am I st hone not out and proud I disappoint me, I am too disappoints me. t I am a bisexual ted and ashamed tha I am somewhat close d yet, I have a great An thing or another. e on er ith ty ne am I e becaus s me to see the beau a great gift that allow e, lov a t for no ity am ns I pe y). pro me wa one and not in the sa ve cti rre co of in others (not in every are sh r d more than my fai ha ve ha I t ye d tty an sex fiend w living pre much so that I am no sexual experiences so shed and loving eri ch d, itte within a comm much as an asexual partnership.”

“When I came out to my Dad he said: “Love, I couldn ’t give a f**k if you fell in love with a tree.” That no t only gave me the proude st smile to wea r for the rest of my life, but I instantly felt ok to be a lesbian living in the Va lleys. I feel incredibly happy to have a Dad, Mam, family, fr iends and stra ngers who have no issues whatsoever w ith my sexuality. They see me first an d see my sexuality as pa rt of me, not al l of me.”

lp to seek he “It is hard arder h e d a t it is m ng anyway, bu of not feeli by barriers o do h w by people e-sex welcomed m a s t u nd abo ta rs e d n u t rature no s. Even lite relationship ften o ation are and inform lity, it a u x e heteros t a d te c e ir d start ll so hard to on’t makes it a u o d metimes y talking. So s you c ialist pla e want spec e up to b to e veryon just want e quality.” speed on e

“My partner is a Trans guy. Fr ed and I have for 7 years. Fr been together ed was always honest about felt. I tried to ig the way he nore it! Hopin g it would go course it did no away, but of t. Fred becam e more and m about his body ore depressed and began hidi ng away. Four ago, Fred deci ded enough w years as enough an process of be d began the coming a guy.

At first, I was I became incr supportive; bu easingly unco t mfortable with me question m it. It also mad y own sexuality e ,w come to terms with. I had been hich I had only recently married for 30 a mother and years, I was grandmother and I divorced live with my sa my husband to me-sex partne r, Fred. Fred se a lot of suppor emed to have t from social ne tworks and ot I felt isolated, he r guys, but confused and angry.”

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Up and Coming- Issue 3

Trans Life.

Transitioning refers to the steps a trans person may take to live in the gender with which they identify. Each person’s transition will involve different things. For some this involves medical intervention, such as hormone therapy and surgeries, but not all trans people want or are able to have this. Social transitioning might involve things such as telling friends and family, dressing differently and changing official documents.

If you are under 18 and you want to discuss transitioning, make an appointment with your GP and you will get referred to CAMHS. The current waiting time is 12 months.

Social Transition: •

Changing name/pronouns

•

Changing Identity Documents

•

Wearing different clothing

•

Different hairstyles

•

Different behaviour

•

Hormones

•

Surgery

Physical Transition: Reasons for physically transitioning are varied but it may be to alleviate dysphoria (see text box), or to make your physical characteristics align more with how you feel internally.

Gender tion Recogni (GRC) e t a c fi i t Cer e legally

ple to b d trans peo s le ender an b a n ffirmed g This e a . ir te e a th c ifi cert ed in ew birth recognis n a h it w a ed for to be issu people will apply s e over n b a t tr s ll u tly m Not a n e rr to u c u yo d a GRC GRC and o not nee or d u rk o o Y w . ly ers at rk a m 18 to app r e r our gend r on othe change y ange your gende ch ssport. to legally s your pa a h c u s ts documen

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Gender ia Dysphor

hen a escribe w rt Used to d riences discomfo e p x a e is n o pers e there s becaus eir sex or distres th n betwee mismatch birth and their at e assigned tity. This is also th n e e id n r o e e d m n ge for so iagnosis le clinical d omfortab c l sn’t fee e o d re o e h w yw ender the with the g birth. at assigned

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Up and Coming- Issue 3

Hormones.

If you are under 16, you can only be put on hormone blockers to prevent you developing further characteristics of your biological sex. If you are over 16, you will have to be on blockers for at least 12 months before being given hormones.

Trans Men

Changes you may notice from hormone therapy include: • • • • • •

more body and facial hair; more muscle; your clitoris getting bigger; your periods stopping; increased sex drive; and your voice getting slightly deeper, but it may not be as deep as other men’s voices.

Trans Women

Changes you may notice from hormone therapy include: • breast development. This will vary greatly and will

rarely exceed a B-cup; • body hair will soften and decrease but not to the

same extent around the areola, armpits, pubic

region and beard hair; • skin will become softer and less coarse; • fat distribution will move from the stomach area to

the hips, thighs and buttocks; • muscle mass in the upper body will decline; • testes will decrease in size; • sexual performance can be affected • infertility; • voice remains unchanged.

Surgery.

You do not have to have surgery to obtain a gender recognition certificate (GRC) or to be male, female, non-binary, gender fluid etc. Surgery can be very invasive and it is discussed at length with your surgeon.

The choice to have or not have surgery is an individual and personal choice and does not in any way reflect one’s gender. Surgery is split between operations on the top half of the body – usually called ‘top’ and operations on the genital area – generally know as ‘bottom’.

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Up and Coming- Issue 3

FTM Binders. y licated b as comp s w a ry w e t a rg su der th “My top ring a bin had fused, a e w f o my years he breast tissue T cations.” too tight. p compli o ts o p and I had

“I had no-o ne to talk to, m were not a t all support y parents everythin ive, so g in secre t. It was to I did made so m ugh, and any poor I choices”

Get the Right Fit! Many trans men use binders to create the body silhouette they like. However, too many bras and binders are the wrong size.

“I tried a n u of binding mber of ways in the beg inning.

I used a b ack seemed to support that work but was too big an d bulky an d my movemen ts where re ally restricted .”

“I picked up a second-hand one on eBay and had to double it ov er, I also bought a com pression vest to try and keep everythi ng in place. U nf or tunately, I found I couldn ’t keep it on fo r more than a few ho urs at a time be fore it affected my br eathing and be gan digging into m y ribs, but it di d the job. It gave m e the flattest ch est ever, however I suffe red while wea ring it.”

ding

Bin Tips for

’t t you don nded tha e this m s a m o g c n too lo It is re r fo r e d d cause r bin wear you athing an re b r u o y ict you must can restr b cage. If take ri r u o y to try and bruising nger then lo r fo ear it no it r wea gest to w g u s e m o breaks. S 8 hrs.. n a th r e long

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nding

Bi Tips for

binding different , y n a m re layers There are using mo s a h c u d s n methods rts bras a orts, spo p p u s k c ba . sion shirts compres

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Up and Coming- Issue 3

Guide for Allies

Show Your Support

Please Just Ask

Challenge homophobia, transphobia and biphobia when you see or hear it.

It is important to respect the names and pronouns that people prefer so if you are unsure, please just ask.

Don’t be afraid to display and feed into positive LGBT+ Allies Media and events Hold your own LGBT+ and Allies event, see our back page for more details.

Remember I am happy to answer your questions if it will improve the service and help you tailor to my needs but I am not a subject for gossip or curiosity.

Gender Identity and What’s real, can I see/ Sexual Identity are not touch/feel? the same The name I give you is the name I want you

Derogatory and offensive language is not OK

Just because I identify as Trans I might not be straight. My gender comes first it is who I am, my sexuality is about my sexual preferences.

Calling someone ‘Gay’ as a joke or as a perceived failing is damn right offensive – quit it!

Everyone has a gender and a sexual identity, and they are separate and distinct from one another.

Being Supportive of our LGBT Members, Colleagues, Family and Friends With positive media coverage of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people becoming more celebrated and accepted alongside a greater willingness from schools to discuss specific LGBT issues, there is much to be hopeful about.

Why do schools, youth services and health care providers need to take advice?

When we ask young people if they think someone who is LGBT would feel comfortable coming out at school, approximately 90% say no.

Our young people tell us that someone who is LGBT would fear being bullied, insulted and isolated. So, those young people stay hidden, and for many of them this has a devastating impact on their self-esteem, confidence and mental health. It can adversely affect their academic achievement with many reporting that they avoid school where possible.

In the most tragic cases, it can lead to self-harm and suicide. It is for these reasons that further campaigning for LGBT equality is vital. www.smt.org.uk

to use, I know there may be some circumstances where this is difficult for you but please take me seriously. I AM NOT INVALID OR ‘PRETEND’.

You cannot feel or touch my body or parts of it to assess how well I am doing unless I invite you to and you can not see pictures of what I looked like before if I haven’t asked you to.

Calling someone a ‘Tranny’, too ‘Butch’, too ‘Girly’, too ‘Ugly’ too ‘Pretty’ is not polite so please refrain yourself and see point 1 of *Show your support.

What can I do in my organisation?

1.

Allow your workforce to understand that what can be most affecting is often the throwaway jokes that remain unchallenged, the misguided comments that mean well but are illinformed, and the bad reactions of teachers, GPs, workmates, service providers or care givers.

2.

Welcome all LGBT people by getting the word out across your staff, partners, services and through displaying trans positive information in the workplace.

3.

Allow events and literature to be readily available in praising and normalising the presence and prevalence of LGBT people living, loving and working in our communities, in our homes and in our workforce.

4.

Treat LGBT+ people as you would expect to be treated with dignity, respect and inclusion.

5.

Remember to always refer to transgender people by their name and use the pronoun that corresponds with their gender identity. If you are unsure about a person’s gender identity, or how someone wishes to be addressed, ask politely for clarification. It is always better to ask than assume and if you get it wrong apologise, move on and get it right next time!

6.

Establish and familiarise yourself with an effective policy for addressing discriminatory comments and behaviour in your school, college, workplace or organisation.

7.

Never disclose a person’s LGBT status to anyone who does not explicitly need the information for care or support.

8.

Consider day-to-day trans needs e.g. a storage place for sanitary products and sanitary bins in male toilets for female to male (FTM) and working cubicles in all toilet blocks.

9.

Remember to keep the focus on care / support rather than indulging in questions out of curiosity; keep in mind that the presence of a transgender person in your school, college, workplace or organisation is not a “training opportunity” for you and others and it is inappropriate to ask someone you may believe or know to be transgender about their genitalia or previous life if it is unrelated to their work, health or welfare.

10. Keep up to date and become knowledgeable about LGBT health care issues so you can manage and plan appropriately rather than waiting for an issue to arise, that may result in discrimination and/or prejudice. You cannot plan for every eventuality however, the better your planning and more informed your equality impact assessments the better the service, goods and facilities you provide will be.

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Up and Coming- Issue 3

Thoughts on:

What is Gender?

Is gender linked to the physical sex you are born with? Is it an identity society has picked for you or something you choose for yourself?

Or is gender something altogether less straightforward?

I was once asked “have you established your own gender?” and this question really got me thinking. I wasn’t really sure what this question implied, but in my point of view I didn’t really need to establish my gender myself.

Masculine or feminine, boy or girl, male or female...

Have we been brainwashed into thinking that gender is simply a black and white issue?

From a young age, passed on from generation to generation, we’ve been told you are either a boy or a girl and it is fixed and there is nothing in-between. Society has even assigned colours to gender: toothbrushes can be found with a pink princess toothbrush for a girl and a blue superhero toothbrush for a boy. Why do we have to narrow the mindset when children are that young? What is the point of narrowing the mindset in the first place?

Perhaps it has a lot to do with branding, links to film franchises and manufacturers wanting to make a profit from merchandise.

In my experience, I know a variety of people who have different preferences in who they love, and how they express themselves through gender identification. I find these people are compassionate and open to expressing their own opinions about wanting to change the world and

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Gender noun

The state of being male or female (typically used with reference to social and cultural differences rather than biological ones).

help others to discover their own gender identity. Sometimes, it seems that the concept of gender has broadened over time, but there are still circumstances in society where there are requirements for identifying gender, for example, birth certificates and passports.

A tomboy is said to be: “a girl who enjoys rough, noisy activities traditionally associated with boys.”

When I found myself comfortable in my own skin I was called a tomboy, and that’s what I call myself when people ask. I feel comfortable to do this, but don’t get me wrong, this is stereotypical label that doesn’t mean that’s all there is to an individual, because I am more than my label. Growing up I just didn’t fit in with the feminine gender stereotype.

At one point I got picked on just because I was different to others and people didn’t understand me. Sometimes, I would feel lonely, but I understood when growing up that not everyone that you come in contact will befriend you or understand you. And that’s okay! It’s not about understanding others completely, but learning to listen to them, to try and accept who someone is and what they want to be. A friend of mine said something that has stayed with me “don’t let people treat you so small that you can’t breathe, because you have a choice, and no one can change you, except for you” There are so many things in this world to be worried about I don’t understand why other people’s gender expression is a problem to some people. To be who I am and being accepted for being myself is the best thing in the world. There are a lot of people out there who are unlucky to experience discrimination about the way they express themselves. It’s 2018, people need to learn that times are changing, and things need to change. There is awareness of gender identity being pushed in a positive way everywhere you look: in music, movies, musicals, sports and comedians broadcasting all over the world. We need not repeat the cycle of events that’s happened in the past, we need to accept that people are different.

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Up and Coming- Issue 3

Let’s Get Some Things Straight.

De-bunking some common myths used against people whose sexuality or gender defies the norm According to Stonewall, one in six gay, lesbian and bi people have experienced hate crime, while a shocking 38% of trans people have experienced it. Sometimes, people sling insults and throw stones, but sometimes they use what seem to be reasonable arguments. Let’s have a look at some of the main ones:

“More people are coming out as LGBT just because it’s trendy.”

There are proportionately the same number of LGBT+ people in the world today as there ever have been. The difference is that if you came out in, say, the 1940’s you’d have a much tougher time. Why would someone go to all the trouble of coming out just to be trendy?

This is something that will affect a person for the rest of their lives. If they wanted to be trendy, they’ll just buy grossly overpriced shoes.

“If we allow transgender people to become accepted into our community, you could see men cross-dressing and using this disguise to get close to women and sexually assault them.”

First, if we are to believe this argument, who’s the villain? Clearly the villain here isn’t trans people: it’s predatory heterosexual men using trans culture for a dark purpose. Therefore, is it fair to blame all transgender people for the actions of a few predatory men? And in any case, if men were going to dress as women to pray on young girls, isn’t it likely that they had already thought of that long before the trans community came to be accepted? I think so.

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“Being LGBT is a mental illness.”

It’s not true. According to National Geographic (January 2016 issue) there is a growing scientific agreement that both homosexuality and being transgender are strongly linked to DNA and chromosomes. Essentially, a foetus can develop all the physical features of a boy but have the chromosomes of a girl and vice-versa.

Homosexuality exists in over 1500 species of animal.

Just saying.

“Same sex marriage is redefining marriage.”

Since marriage is an abstract concept that was invented by and is only practiced by humans, changing the rules shouldn’t really be that much of a problem. In a society where almost half of marriages end in divorce, I’m not entirely convinced that gay marriage is the most cheapening factor when it comes to marriage - when I watch the Jeremy Kyle Show the sanctity of marriage isn’t quite at the forefront of my mind. Just saying.

“Same sex couples can’t have children,” you say? Well, neither can two 70-year olds, yet they can get married.

Some people are sterile and can’t have children. Not too long ago in our society marriages were often arranged and husbands could beat and rape their wives. Change can be good!

“Being gay is a choice.”

Before 1967 in the UK and 1962 in the USA homosexuality was punishable by prison. In Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan, homosexuality is still punishable by death. In the past, before being LGBT was more acceptable, you often had to lead a double life, engaged in risky activities, were unable to express your desires, if you came out you could be cast out of your home and disowned by your family and friends. Yet gay people existed then, and they still exist in intolerant societies today. Why would anyone choose to be gay in these eras or societies when it was/is a one-way ticket to oppression or even execution?

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Up and Coming- Issue 3

LGBT History in Wales.

In 1223, Gerald of Wales writes about “a different kind of marriage” between two men and about bearded women.

Katharine Phillips, 17th Century poet, depicts romantic relationships between women in her poetry.

In 1778, the Ladies of Llangollen set up home together and become probably the most famous lesbian couple in the world.

Welsh 18th Century lesbian Amy Dillwyn, novelist and first female industrialist in Britain, writes of her ‘wife’ in diaries.

In 1924, Edward Prosser Rhys controversially won the National Eisteddfod with his poem Atgof (Memory), openly discussing gay themes.

Welsh lawyer Leo Abse was a leading figure in enacting the partial decriminalisation of gay men in 1967.

Bisexual Welsh actor and playwright Emlyn Williams writes about his life and loves in his autobiographies George (1961) and Emlyn (1976).

Welsh language writer Mihangel Morgan wrote short stories collections with gay themes Te Gyda’r Frenhines (1994) and Tair Ochr y Geiniog (1996).

John Randell, born in Penarth in 1918, was a pioneer of gender reassignment surgery.

In 1972, Welsh travel writer Jan Morris undergoes gender reassignment surgery. Her book Conundrum details her transition.

In 2000, Jaci Taylor is elected mayor of Aberystwyth, the first British open lesbian mayor.

In 2007, Welsh rugby union referee Nigel Owens publicly comes out as gay in an interview with newspaper, Wales on Sunday.

In 2009, Welsh language soap opera Pobol y Cwm is nominated for a Stonewall award for positive portrayals of gay and lesbian characters.

In 2009, James Wharton from Wrexham becomes the first openly gay soldier to appear on the cover of the Army’s magazine, Soldier.

In 2009 Gareth Thomas, former professional Welsh rugby player came out as gay. The following year he was voted the most influential gay person in the UK in the Pink List and received Stonewall’s Hero of the Year award.

In 2013 Hannah Winterbourne came out as a transgender woman and became the highest ranking transgender soldier within the British Army. As an active and competitive person, Hannah is also an Ambassador for LGBT Sport Cymru (Wales), promoting transgender inclusion in sports across Wales.

In 2017 the Welsh Assembly appointed their first out cabinet secretary Jeremy Miles, Labour and their first out minister to be appointed Hannah Blythyn, Labour.

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Up and Coming- Issue 3

What’s happening in Cwm Taf? Our network is growing!

Over the past year we’ve run lots of events, from our LGBT History Month ‘Out of the Darkness into the Rainbow’ event through to our support for Pride Cymru.

Most recently, we’ve run workshops to promote our new recruitment and retention of trans* staff policy and they have been jointly presented with Stephy Jones from Transformation Street who talks about her own transition and why she couldn’t do so at work.

LGBT History Month: Feb 5th

We are running 2 more trans* workshops for our staff and managers so they have a better understanding of the issues people face

Feb 19th

We are holding a network coffee morning in our headquarters to plan our activities and ideas for the next year. Our network is for staff who are LGBT and also for allies – those who wish to support this work from a personal and/or professional perspective. We are hoping to link in more to groups in the community in future.

Feb 27th

We are supporting the Voluntary Action Merthyr Tydfil LGBT History Month celebration in collaboration with Merthyr College and Pride Cymru in Merthyr College.

The rainbow flag will be raised at Royal Glamorgan Hospital and Prince Charles Hospital.

One last bit of good news - we have been successful in being included in the Stonewall Employer’s Index for the first time! This reflects our commitment to becoming a more LGBT friendly employer – FFRINDIAU! www.smt.org.uk

One of our priorities will definitely be to develop a policy for trans* service users so if you are interested in this or wish to get in touch with us on any other issue please contact:

Liz Jenkins, Equality Manager liz.jenkins@wales.nhs.uk Eleri Jenkins, Equality and Welsh Language Officer eleri.jenkins@wales.nhs.uk

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20th Century Up and Coming- Issue 3

When Entertainment went Gay. Today, in the Western world, the LGBT+ community is shown on stage and screen in a good light.

Popular TV shows such as Transparent and Glee empower the gay and trans community, and even popular soap operas such as Coronation Street, EastEnders and Emmerdale feature gay and transsexual characters as a way of presenting the LGBT community as ‘normal’ to a wide viewing audience. But featuring the non-straight community in popular media is far from a modern trend: it’s almost as old as the motion picture itself. What’s changed is how the LGBT community has been depicted.

Let’s take a trip through 20th Century cinema and television to explore how the gay community were presented to the world through the big and small screen.

Hollywood.

Perhaps one of the most influential directors of all time is the late Alfred Hitchcock. His first thriller, The Lodger (1927), was a silent film about Jack the Ripper. In the film, a landlady suspects a mysterious tenant of being a homicidal maniac.

This is one of the dialogue cards from the film:

The Detective (to Daisy’s mother): Does this lodger of yours mean any harm to Daisy?

The Mother: Don’t be silly, Joe, he’s not that sort. Even if he is a bit queer, he’s a gentleman.

‘Queer’ was a by-word for ‘strange’ or ‘odd.’ It also held the connotation of ‘homosexual.’ It doesn’t take much imagination to read this quotation as “Don’t worry, he won’t go near Daisy because he’s gay”. But maybe you’re thinking that we’re reading into this a little too much? Let’s look at some other hidden LGBT images in Hitchcock’s films: The Lady Vanishes (1938) – two men sleep together.

Murder! (1931) – the murderer is a transvestite.

Strangers on a Train (1951) – Bruno is obsessed with Guy. These are just a few examples of homosexuality in Hitchcock’s films. Don’t forget that this was at a time when even the mention of the word ‘homosexual’ was forbidden in cinema. As a result, Hitchcock – and any other director that wished to show homosexuality – had to be subtle about it, using symbols and clever dialogue.

Out of all of Hitchcock’s films, the one which is heaviest on homosexual imagery is Rope! (1948). This film pushed homosexual imagery to the boundaries in its day, to the point that many American cinemas refused to show it. In the film, two male roommates murder the third roommate and hide the body in a trunk before throwing a party at their apartment.

Careful attention to the dialogue between the two murderers and clever placement of props (a champagne bottle in a suggestive place) all point to the two characters being in an illegal relationship. In the film, their guilty conscience comes from the fact that they just committed a murder, but the criminal act murder itself is a metaphor for their criminal act of homosexuality.

Homosexual motifs in early 20th Century cinema were suggestion and not explicit. Why? If it was illegal and considered a taboo, why was it depicted in the first place?

Hitchcock was intrigued by Freudian psychoanalysis. In this theory, if childhood and adolescent development run a ‘normal’, healthy course, then a person would grow to be heterosexual, and desire to be in a family unit, producing their own offspring. Any deviation from this path, such as an overbearing mother or absent father, would lead to ‘abnormal’ sexual desires. Homosexuality was often seen as deviant, and correctable.

Homosexuality was a symbol to show a character’s deviancy. In the Lodger, the shady tenant was thought to be a serial killer; in Strangers on a Train, the (apparently) homosexual Bruno is a remorseless murderer, as are the two roommates in Rope! Unlike 14

www.smt.org.uk

Stage & Screen

Up and Coming- Issue 3

Television.

On Stage.

Colour television was introduced, BBC Radio 1, 2, 3 and 4 were launched, Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely-Hearts Club Band was released, and homosexuality was partially legalised.

This Act of Parliament came into effect on July 4th, 1967, and it wasn’t long before British television hopped on the bandwagon of gay culture.

Streetcar Named Desire was written by Tennessee Williams, a closeted homosexual who over the course of his life had three turbulent relationships with men. The play depicts the downfall of Blanche DuBois, once a rich Southerner who becomes reduced to a penniless emotional wreck.

One of the most important scenes in the play is Blanche’s monologue in which she talks about how she was in love once with a man who turned out to be a homosexual. When she found out that he was gay, she verbally abused him, causing him to shoot himself. A grim story, but sadly familiar in 1940s and 50s America. Yet despite the negative attitudes towards homosexuality at the time, Tennessee Williams’ script makes it almost impossible for the audience to have negative feelings towards Blanche’s former gay boyfriend.

Williams’s aim here may have been to demonstrate to audiences that repressing homosexuals leads to grim outcomes and has awful emotional impacts on everyone, not just the gay people themselves.

Now let’s jump from 1940s and 50s American film to a different country at a different time: Great Britain in the 1960s. 1967 was an interesting year in Britain.

Perhaps one of the most obvious portrayals of homosexuality during this period was a 1970 episode of the popular sitcom Steptoe and Son titled, ‘Any Old Iron?’. In this episode, Harold Steptoe (the son) sees an opportunity to make friends with an obviously gay gentleman named Timothy. Albert (the father) catches on and attempts to stop the friendship before it’s too late. This is probably one of the most interesting episodes of the series since it blatantly deals with a thencontroversial topic: after all, homosexuality had only been legal for three years by this time. Unlike the American Hollywood productions, we explored earlier, this episode doesn’t use subtle images to suggest homosexuality.

Instead, it’s made very clear that Timothy is gay: “My, what lovely biceps you have!”

Despite its overt depiction of homosexuality, the episode wasn’t immune from homophobia – after all it was only three years after partial legalisation. Albert uses homophobic terms such as “poof” and “bent as a boomerang” to describe Timothy. And the fact that he tries to save Harold from the gay man suggests that homosexuality was still seen as a bad thing. There is a scene near the end of the episode where Albert tells Harold to leave home for spending time with Timothy. As uncomfortable as this may seem today, imagine how uncomfortable it must have been for the actor who played Albert, Wilfred Brambell, to play. Why? Because Brambell was a closeted homosexual.

A Streetcar Named Desire (1947) and The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1973) depict LGBT characters and issues in a more sympathetic light.

Interestingly, when the play was adapted to film in 1951, the gay theme was virtually erased. Unlike in Rope! the homosexual themes in Streetcar were explicit and obvious –meaning that they couldn’t get past the film censors at that time. As a result, Blanche’s past had to be altered to please the censors. Williams’s subtle efforts to support homosexuals didn’t work out straight away.

Closing Credits.

The LGBT community wasn’t pushed aside in entertainment during the 20th Century.

People were telling their stories and it was there all right; you just must look for it. But don’t forget, just because homosexuality was suggested in film during this time doesn’t necessarily mean that it was to support gay rights: often homosexuality was associated with villainy.

So, if you ever should watch a film from the golden age of Hollywood or a television show from the 1960s and 70s, look and see if you can spot any gay themes because, believe me, they may well be there. www.smt.org.uk

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Up and Coming- Issue 3

Useful Websites & Numbers.

Gendered Intelligence

www.genderedintelligence.co.uk Aims to increase understandings of gender diversity through support and training. They particularly specialise in supporting young trans people under the age of 21.

Gender Identity Research and Education www.gires.org.uk information, training and e-learning.

Stonewall Cymru

www.stonewallcymru.org.uk Phone: 029 2023 7744 Campaigns for the equality of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans* people across Britain.

Youth Cymru

www.youthcymru.org.uk Phone: 01443 827840 A charity that works with youth groups, youth workers and young people throughout the whole of Wales.

Transform Cymru

www.youthcymru.org.uk/transform-project/ Trans*Form Cymru is a three-year project run by Youth Cymru funded by the Welsh Government to empower and support trans* young people.

Mermaids

www.mermaidsuk.org.uk Phone: 0844 334 0550 / 0344 335 0550 Mermaids’ supports children and young people up to 19 years old suffering from gender issues, and their families and professionals involved in their care.

T*MSU – Cardiff Trans Support Group

www.facebook.com/groups/tsmucardiff Phone: 07500 741955 / 07889 620686 T*MSU is a mutual support and social group for all Gender Diverse / Trans*gender people, and their family, friends, supporters and allies.

Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services [CAMHS]

If you are under 18 and are experiencing mental health issues or you are seeking a diagnosis for gender dysphoria, go to your Local GP to be referred on to CAMHS. If you are not registered with a GP, find a GP in your local area here: www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk

Pride Cymru

www.pridecymru.co.uk Working within all areas of the LGBT+ community in Wales to increase understanding and respect for all which will lead to a reduction in hate crime.

Umbrella Cymru

www.umbrellacymru.co.uk/support Umbrella Cymru is a national gender and sexual diversity specialist organisation that provides a wide range of support services across Wales.

Local LGBT Groups

Check your local council, schools and colleges for events in your area and for further information on local activities and groups.

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www.smt.org.uk

Up and Coming- Issue 3

Sexual Health.

There can be barriers to safe sex in the LGBT community. Individuals can be reluctant to disclose their sexuality to health care professionals, or fear prejudice from health care professionals.

Don’t worry! In a care setting, your information is confidential and no doubt, you won’t be the first person to have approached them with your questions.

Focus on Trans Sexual Health.

Gaining confidence

Empower yourself.

Insist on safe sex practices.

You deserve a healthy sex life!

If you are living in the Merthyr area and you want to make an appointment to screen yourself for STIs or for sexual health advice:

Trans people may often face low self-esteem and feel disempowered to insist on safe sex practices. Further to this, fear of prejudice from health care professionals means that some trans people may feel too ashamed to be honest with their doctor about the kind of sex that they’re having and so they remain uninformed to what their safe sex options are. Tell your clinician if you’re having sex with a cisgender man, so then your clinician can’t tell you about your STD/I risk, pregnancy risk and about birth control.

Contraception, Sexual Health and Youth Advisory Service

Pap Smears for FTM

Walk-in screening clinic available on certain days, check NHS Direct for timetable.

Research shows that many transgender men (FTM) avoid getting pap smears because of discomfort associated with their bodies, which could account for the higher instances of cervical cancer identified in trans male populations. Communicate your situation and any discomfort you may be experiencing so they can allay your concerns. It’s a medical procedure that’s easily done and quickly over with.

Kier Hardie Health Park, Aberdare Road, Merthyr Tydfil, CF48 1BZ. Tel: 01685 351079 (During Clinic Hours Only).

Vulnerable Group Transgender people who want to affirm their gender through sex or who fear rejection from sexual partners can be more likely to agree to unprotected sex.

So, empower yourself to practice safe sex and say NO to partners who want to put you in danger with unsafe sex practices.

www.smt.org.uk

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Up and Coming- Issue 3

Glossary.

Ally – a person who supports members of the LGBT community.

Asexual (or ace) - someone who does not, or choses not to, experience sexual attraction.

Bi / Bisexual - refers to an emotional and/or sexual orientation towards more than one gender.

Cisgender or Cis – someone whose gender identity is the same as the sex they were assigned at birth.

Coming out – when a person first tells someone/others about their identity as lesbian, gay, bi or trans.

Deadnaming – calling someone by their birth name after they have changed their name. This term is often associated with trans people who have changed their name as part of their transition.

Gay – refers to a man who has an emotional, romantic and/or sexual orientation towards men. Also a generic term for lesbian and gay sexuality some women define themselves as gay rather than lesbian.

Gender – often expressed in terms of masculinity and femininity, gender is largely culturally determined and is assumed from the sex assigned at birth.

Gender dysphoria – used to describe when a person experiences a mismatch 18

between their sex assigned at birth and their gender identity. This is also the clinical diagnosis for someone who doesn’t feel comfortable with the gender they were assigned at birth.

Gender reassignment – another way of describing a person’s transition.

Heterosexual / Straight - refers to a person who has an emotional, romantic and/or sexual orientation towards people of the opposite gender.

Homosexual – this might be considered a more medical, or historical, term used to describe someone who has an emotional romantic and/or sexual orientation towards someone of the same gender.

Intersex – a term used to describe a person who may have biological attributes of both sexes or whose biological attributes do not fit with societal assumptions about what constitutes male or female. Intersex people may identify as male, female or non-binary.

LGBT / LGBT* / LGBT+ / LGBTQ – acronyms for lesbian, gay, bi and trans.

Sometimes, the Q (meaning Queer) and the * or + symbols, are for those who don’t neatly fit into a category. The Q may also mean Questioning, for those who are exploring their gender and sexuality. www.smt.org.uk

Up and Coming- Issue 3

Glossary.

Lesbian – refers to a woman who has an emotional, romantic and/or sexual orientation towards women.

Sexual orientation – a person’s emotional, romantic and/or sexual attraction to another person.

Non-binary – an umbrella term for a person who does not identify as only male or only female, or who may identify as both.

Trans – an umbrella term to describe people whose gender is not the same as, or does not sit comfortably with, the sex they were assigned at birth.

Pansexual - refers to a person whose emotional, romantic and/or sexual attraction towards others is not limited by biological sex, gender or gender identity.

Transgender man / trans man / FTM– a term used to describe someone who is assigned female at birth but identifies and lives as a man.

Passing - if someone is regarded, at a glance, to be a cisgender man or cisgender woman. Cisgender refers to someone whose gender identity matches the sex they were ‘assigned’ at birth.

Transgender woman / trans woman / MTF – a term used to describe someone who is assigned male at birth but identifies and lives as a woman.

Pronoun – words we use to refer to people’s gender in conversation - for example, ‘he’ or ‘she’. Some people may prefer others to refer to them in gender neutral language and use pronouns such as they / their and ze / zir.

Queer – in the past a derogatory term for LGBT individuals. The term has now been reclaimed by LGBT young people in particular but is still viewed to be derogatory by some.

Sex – assigned to a person on the basis of primary sex characteristics (genitalia) and reproductive functions. Sometimes the terms ‘sex’ and ‘gender’ are interchanged to mean ‘male’ or ‘female’. www.smt.org.uk

Transitioning – the steps a trans person may take to live in the gender with which they identify.

Transsexual – this was used in the past as a more medical term (similarly to homosexual) to refer to someone who transitioned to live in the ‘opposite’ gender to the one assigned at birth.

This term is still used by some although many people prefer the term trans or transgender (Adapted from http://www.stonewall. org.uk/help-advice/glossary-terms)

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Events Timetable.

There is loads of chance to raise awareness and celebrate diversity in your community. Why not go along to local events or better still hold one yourself.

January

27th Holocaust Memorial Day

July

National Pride Celebrations – Check your local area

February

LGBT History Month

March

April

6th – 12th 2nd LGBT Adoption & World Autism Fostering Week Awareness Day

4th Time To Talk Day 8th International Women’s Day 5th Children’s 21st Mental Health Awareness Week International Day for the Elimination of Racial 5th Discrimination Sexual Abuse & Sexual Violence Awareness week 31st International Transgender Day 6th of Visibility Safer Internet Day

August

12th International Youth Day Bank Holiday Weekend Pride Cymru’s Big Weekend National Pride Celebrations – Check your local area

June

8th – 14th LGBT Pride Mental Health Month Awareness Week Gypsy, Roma 17th and Travellers International History Month Day Against Homophobia 1st – 7th Biphobia & Volunteer’s Week Transphobia 12th – 18th Carers Week National Pride Celebrations – Check your local area

September October

23rd Bi-Visibility Day

May

Black History Month

November December

Transgender Awareness Weeks

9th – 15th Hate Crime 12th – 19th Awareness Week National Interfaith Week 11th International National AntiComing Out Day Bullying Week Disability History Month Transgender Day of Remembrance Disability History Month

1st World AIDS Day

3rd International Day of Persons with Disabilities 10th Human Rights Day