This
blog post deals with recent difficult developments in difficult times.
If you need support, please find here (and listed at the end of this article) a list of internal and external organisations. You aren't alone, and you're loved.
The UK Supreme Court's trans-exclusionary judgment last week on the definition of a woman in the Equality Act 2010 has triggered enormous waves of hatred reaching far beyond even the hateful limits of the judgment itself. In the past week the lives and rights of every trans person here in the UK have been thrown out of their already precarious state into a position of absolute uncertainty. Now is the time we must stand up and show our support for our trans siblings. Here is a list of practical things you can do to help:
1. VISIT
Lavender Menace is a queer book archive in Edinburgh, documenting and preserving LGBTQ+ history and supporting and hosting activities. Their archive is open every Tuesday and Thursday from 11am to 4pm, they host Social Sundays every fortnight from 2pm to 4pm, and other events every Sunday.
Click this link or the image to browse their digital catalogue and check out their events. If you find yourself in London you could also visit the
Queer Britain museum, open 12-6pm from Wednesday to Sunday, which also regularly holds events.
2. PROTEST
At 12 noon on Thursday 24 April (this Thursday) there will be an
emergency protest outside College Gate on North Street calling on the university to publicly affirm their support for trans rights. Public protest is one of the most meaningful ways to campaign for what you believe in, and as students here it should be the university's duty to support us. I hope to see many of you there.
3. READ
It is also important to support trans and queer creatives. Here we've compiled a few suggestions:
Small Town Joy by Carrie Marshall, an impactful, accessible, and moving book celebrating Scotland's queer music history;
Fierce Salvage, a moving and diverse anthology of Scottish queer writing; and
Some Body Like Me, a sci-fi novel by Lucy Lapinski exploring the limits of sexuality, human boundaries, AI, and the end of the world.
4. LISTEN
Listen to and share the
What The Trans?! podcast, a UK-based news outlet for the trans community and an extremely useful resource. They assume the reader is trans, don’t make any attempts to appeal to cis people and the only thing they care about when it comes to what they cover is: “will this be of benefit to our audience?”
5. WATCH
Watch St Andrews alum Abigail Thorn's
PhilosophyTube videos to learn about big philosophical topics and ideas in an accessible and well-referenced way, or for similar long-form and engaging video essays dealing more explicitly with political issues check out Natalie Wynn's
ContraPoints. Outside of YouTube, watch
Layla, a film about a non-binary British Palestinian drag queen living in London by writer and performer
Amrou Al-Kadhi.
6. GO OUT
Go out and have fun while supporting your local trans community
– check out
St. Salvatore and
Eden Spaghetti's accessible and inclusive monthly club night in Dundee,
Climax, a unique monthly evening of drag, burlesque, and cabaret. The next theme is Divinity, on Tuesday 13 May.
7. ENGAGE
There's always more you can do to educate yourself about trans issues and academic reading is actually super fun and interesting (imo). Read your Judith Butler and Raewyn Connell, but we also wanted to highlight the work of environmental psychologist Jack Jen Gieseking, researching how LGBTQ+ people 'produce, sustain, survive, and thrive in urban and digital environments'.
8. SUPPORT
Support our amazing alumni drag artists,
@sheisvil, who describes herself as the Manchester Transfemme, showgirl, cabaret creature and drag princess, and
@its_scorpi_ho, who describes herself as an alternative drag gremlin. Follow their social media, and go to evenings they appear at!
9. EXPLORE
Explore the University of St Andrews' collaborative inter-European research project
Perverse Collections, mapping the growth of European queer and trans archives, modelling new and innovative strategies for preserving and sustaining LGBTQ+ cultural heritage, and fighting for the importance of archiving LGBTQ+ lives and experiences.
10. ARCHIVE
Check out
Trans Reads, the world's largest collection of open-access trans-focussed literature. They describe their mission here: 'There is a serious barrier for most trans people accessing content from our community. Trans people on average have less disposable income, time to read and purchase literature, and knowledge of the available texts. We created Trans Reads to address this problem directly. We offer the largest collection of free trans texts on the internet'.
11. COFFEE?
It doesn't have to be coffee! This is a reminder to check in on your friends and trans and queer people you know, and remember that ways of doing that are different for everyone. Everyone deals with difficult situations in their own ways. You could ask to meet for coffee, or to study together, go to eat, or arrange any other meet-up, or just remind them of how much you value them and seeing them.
12. MOVE
Getting your body moving is one of the best ways to find a community and to deal with worries and stress even at the best of times. Get involved with inclusive sports such as
Korfball, pole dance with
Saints Pole or
Freebird Studio in Dundee, or many others! Trans support charity
Not A Phase run nationwide fitness activities which you should also check out!
That's all so far! This list was just a few suggestions of ways to help or show your support, and there are of course so many other things you can also do. Think of your trans friends and siblings and what support they might need. Get involved with SaintsLGBT+; get involved with us here at the Gay Saint – the blog is always open to potential contributions if you contact us at @thegaysaintmagazine or via email. Have faith that we will make it through this together.
Support Resources:
If you or someone you are concerned about is in immediate danger call:
999 – emergency services If you are in Hall of Residence you should also alert the Wardennial Team (evenings/weekends) or your Residential Services Manager (daytime during the week).
+44 (0)1334 46 8999 – University's Security and Response Team (available 24/7).
Get in touch with Student Services
You can get in touch with student services about anything, via the ASC. You can mention concerns from yourself, about another student, or for seeking help in general.
+44 (0)1334 46 2020 – The ASC (Advice and Support Centre) during office hours (9am to 5pm). You can also email them anytime at theasc@st-andrews.ac.uk
If you are seriously unwell and need to speak to someone outside your GP surgery opening times, please call NHS24 by dialling 111. Please note from any landline in the University you must dial 1045, this then will connect straight to 111.
If you are having thoughts of harming yourself or ending your life but do not feel you are at immediate risk:
You can come to Student Services to talk to an Adviser, Counsellor or Mental Health Co-ordinator. You can drop in to make an appointment either at The ASC (The Advice and Support Centre) at 79 North Street, or our offices at Eden Court on The Scores.
Phone: +44 (0)1334 46 2020
Email: theasc@st-andrews.ac.uk
https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/student-services/
You can contact your GP:
Pipeland Medical Centre
Phone: +44 (0)1334 47 6840
Blackfriars Medical Practice
Phone: +44 (0)1334 47 7477
Outside of normal office hours contact:
Nightline
Phone (8pm to 7am): +44 (0)1334 46 22 66 (ext.
22 66 in halls)
Skype (8pm to 7am): @StAndrewsNightline (audio only)
Instant Message (8pm to midnight)
Email (24 hours): nightline@st-andrews.ac.uk
Breathing Space
Phone: +44 (0)800 83 8587
(Open Monday to Thursday 6pm - 2am & Friday 6pm to Monday 6am)
Samaritans
Phone: +44 (0)8457 90 9090
Email: jo@samaritans.org
Mermaids
Mermaids supports trans, non binary and gender diverse young people, their families, friends and professionals.
Phone: 0808 801 0400
Text Mermaids to 85258
Webchat available on Mermaids website
Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM):
You can call CALM on 0800 58 58 58 5pm-midnight everyday
National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK
0800 689 5652
Switchboard (LGBTQIA+ Support line)
Phone: +44 (0) 800 0119 100 (10am to 10pm
every day)
Email: hello@switchboard.lgbt (Aims to reply within 5 days)
Website: https://switchboard.lgbt/ (Chat function on website)
Galop
Offers support to LGBT+ victims of hate crimes, sexual violence, or domestic abuse.
Hate Crime Helpline: 020 7704 2040 (open
Monday-Friday 10-4 pm)
Email: info@galop.org.uk
Website: www.galop.org.uk/
Papyrus https://www.papyrus-uk.org/
