As we near the end of LGBT+ History Month, we are continuing to share its importance by hearing from members of the LGBTQIA+ community. 

Over the last few weeks, we have heard from a group of young service users who wanted to explain what this month means to them and why celebrating their identity is so important to their overall mental health and wellbeing. 

One of our young service users has bravely come forward to share his experience of being a transgender male.

Transgender or trans, is a term that indicates that a person’s gender identity is different from the gender associated with the sex they were assigned at birth.

Stonewall, an LGBTQ+ charity, conducted a study and found that almost half of trans people had thought about taking their life. This shocking statistic makes it even more important to support our LGBTQIA+ community.

Supporting our trans community can have a positive impact on their mental wellbeing. By simply being kind and understanding, it can help others to:

– increase confidence
– improve relationships with friends and family
– create a sense of community and belonging
– give freedom of self-expression and self-acceptance
– increase resilience.

In the following video, our young service user discusses the difficulties he had during his time transitioning and how, with the right support, he has been able to live his life freely as a transgender male. 

If you need to speak to someone, help is out there. Please visit our LGBTQ+ mental health support information page today.