Archive : December

Sexual health for trans and non-binary people

Very excited to be one of the contributing authors of this new THT guide, led by and celebrating trans, non-binary and gender diverse people.

Good sexual health is vital for everyone. Trans, non-binary and gender diverse people often find they are left out of mainstream information relating to health and wellbeing. This can leave us without any tools and relying on guesswork, and reading between the lines as to what is relevant for our health, our bodies and our identities.

Connecting in a sexual way to our bodies can be hard for some of us sometimes, but ultimately it can be a joyous experience. Everyone has a right to happy, healthy sex. Being able to access clear and concise information will help reduce health inequalities that trans and non-binary people experience. This in itself will contribute to our wellbeing and sense of self.

The resource is peer reviewed by sexual health clinician Dr Kate Nambiar and Dr Michael Brady, Medical Director at THT. The webpages are available by CLICKING HERE

Dr Kate Nambiar, sexual health and gender identity clinician, said: “I’m proud to be involved in such an important project to ensure the sexual health needs of trans and non-binary people are properly met. I have no doubt that what we’ve produced is so impactful because it’s based on the feedback of trans and non-binary people and our communities have been involved every step of the way.

“Good sexual health is vital for everyone but too often trans, non-binary and gender diverse people are left out of mainstream information relating to sexual health and feel uncomfortable accessing mainstream services. As trans people, we need to see ourselves in sexual health campaigns and know that the information is written with us in mind.

“As well as educating the community on sexual health, it’s important to celebrate and empower trans and non-binary people. I think we’ve achieved that aim and I’m excited for everyone to see the new webpages and leaflets.”

Rory Finn, Health Promotion Practitioner at THT in Brighton who worked on the new resources, said: “As a trans man, I sometimes feel as if I fall between the gaps. I’ve had numerous interactions with health professionals who don’t understand my body.

“Whenever I’ve tried to look up sexual health information for myself, the resources I find online are never detailed enough and don’t include bodies like mine. I have often had to resort to reading women’s health articles online, just to get some sort of understanding of how my body works. But even then, there’s a lot of guess work. I do not have a female body anymore.

“I decided to be a part of this resource because I want trans people, however they identify, to know that they are worthy of having an enjoyable and healthy sex life. Our bodies deserve to be empowered and celebrated, just like everyone else.”

 

Trans 101 training – half day course

An essential introduction to trans awareness helping participants to develop more trans-inclusive practice. Research from Stonewall (Jan 2018) revealed the shocking impact of widespread transphobia in the UK today and the impact this has on the mental health of trans, non-binary and genderqueer people.

This course will help increase knowledge and develop inclusive practice around:

  • The intersection between gender, sexuality, sex and gender presentations
  • The basics of social and medical transitioning
  • Trans mental health
  • Challenging transphobia

This course will count as 3.5 CPD hours and all participants will receive CPD certificates

Participants feedback about Trans 101

“That it’s ok to ask people. I had some fear of causing offence around this and I now feel more confident to compassionately open a conversation around pronouns”

Trans 101 helped me understand the struggles faced by trans people and helped me be more open – there is no short cut to understanding”

Delivered through MindOut, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans & Queer Mental Health Service, as well as in a private capacity.

Please contact me for more information.