Trans & Gender Diverse - Pride Month 🏳️‍⚧️

[RiverSeal]

Hey Forumities

I have been around on the forums for a while now, so some of you may know my story already. I identify as a transgender woman, use they/them pronouns and am bisexual. My journey started later in life, and I socially transitioned in November 2023 after taking HRT for several years. I just love how my life has changed for the better and how I have grown and developed since I transitioned. It’s truly been life-changing, and it’s soooo good living as my authentic self ⚧️

So, for Week 3 of Pride Month 2025, I wanted to open a discussion about recognising people who are trans and gender diverse (TGD) in the LGBTIQA+ community and spaces where we are celebrated and welcomed with open arms. We all live in different parts of the country, some in cities and some regionally, and rurally, so let’s put our collective minds together and celebrate our spaces!!

Where have you been as a person who identifies as TGD where you felt welcome?

Where have you seen flags, stickers and posters welcoming people who are TGD into spaces?

Remember to post within the Guidelines 🙂

I know of some spaces, so let’s start the discussion with these:

• Inner West Pride Centre – NSW https://twenty10.org.au/about/iwpc/
• Qtopia – NSW https://qtopiasydney.com.au/
• Victorian Pride Centre – Vic https://pridecentre.org.au/

Let’s celebrate our diversity and be as visible as we feel comfortable 🏳️‍⚧️

RiverSeal

Tagging Members who contributed to the discussions in Pride Month so far! (Week 1 by @Jynx  & Week 2 by @0ddsidian)

@Jynx @0ddsidian @Dreamy @MissinTooth @Cuddlebear @Captain24 @Appleblossom @Till23 @The-red-centaur @Glisten @Patches59 @Shaz51 @ale_inmelb @Bow 

[Dreamy]

@RiverSeal thankyou for sharing your story. Keep being your amazing self that we all love having here ♥️

[AuntGlow]

I love this so much and appreciate you sharing your heart with us all @RiverSeal.

I have no doubt that many people will be inspired by your courage to be unapologetically yourself. 🏳️‍⚧️💗

[The-red-centaur]

Hi, I think the place where I first came out was a forum like this one. I was using the ReachOut forums at the time. I began using sane afterwards as I grew older. 

I feel online communities are a nice way to explore those thoughts and feelings, I felt more safe online than with the people around me, especially as I lived in a very small part of conservative part of Tasmania at the time. As a neurodiverse individual it is easier to express my thoughts using written communication. 

Its nice to feel welcome as my true self. My gender journey was a big part of my self acceptance and recovery. 

I moved to Perth in 2021, where very few people know my deadname. 

My mother still refuses to call me my name, it hurts. I legally changed it like 8 years ago, socially transitioning a while before that. 

Hrt has made my life so much more comfortable. On my T'day, as I call it, in October will make the best 7 years as my self. 

One thing that makes me annoyed is when you are not treated as your whole self. Like you need to use/not use this service coz your TGD. Its like being trans is our whole identity. That is part of us. But we are just like everyone else. Like, I dont need a specialist service to deal with going grocery shopping, or I dont need trans-specific therapy to deal with ptsd. Etc. I dont needs my trans-ness to be the defining reason to go to this person or be excluded from mainstream providers and referred to a speciast organisation. 

I can't word that properly and I understand some need those as they can't be safe in mainstream providers. But us being TGD isn't our whole identity. We have extra struggles, yes, but I personally focus on gender europhoria rather than gender dysporia.

Like make me safe and comfortable and affirm me, dont just focus on trans-related issues. Celebrate us and our wins. Like getting that first appointment with an endocrinologist, or when we style our hair to align with our gender, or we change our wardrobe, or we get our name change certificate. 

[The-red-centaur]

I have seen a program by a peer organisation in the emergency department to change the way drs use pronouns and preferred names with patients. 

I actually saw the shift, especially in the mental health units and psych liaison team. 

When i first moved to Perth it was starting to get implemented. I loved it when drs interactions start with, "hi I am 'dr xyz, my pronouns are she/her, how would you like me to refer to you as and what are your pronouns" it made the medical processes go much smoother. 

[MissinTooth]

Thank you for sharing your story @RiverSeal.

I caught up with one of my friends from high school, a little while ago now, and we've touched base a few times since. He is a transgender male and is so settled and happy within himself. I remember the person they were in High School and acknowledge how much pain and turmoil they were in. 

I have also taught students who are transgender and gender diverse, or questioning and exploring their identity. I've seen the impacts and challenges of bullying and victimisation first hand. 

As for me, I'm kind of maybe still trying to figure my own identity out. 

[Appleblossom]

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/tanya-blazewicz-768529150_trygg-stolt-oslopride-ugcPost-7339450132263... 

not sure if this link will pass… but it is not connected to me… but beautiful and subtle for pride month