TransActual are a trans led and run advocacy, education and empowerment organisation. We create resources for the trans community and those seeking to support us, offer training and consultancy, meet with politicians, policy makers and journalists, consult with the trans and non-binary communities and work collaboratively with other organisations.
We always have on a number of ongoing projects, but here are just some examples of the work we did in 2023 and at the start of 2024. Check back later in the year to find out what else we’ve been upto!
Ongoing work throughout 2023 and into 2024
- Convening and co-ordinating the Trans Health Forum.
- Working with partners in and beyond the LGBTQ+ sector.
- Campaigning on NHS phalloplasty and metoidioplasty provisions and providing those impacted by commissioning issues, including via the monthly support group.
- Working towards the goals of our healthcare strategy.
- Providing information to policy makers on trans people’s needs and lived experiences.
- Delivering 13 workshops for trans people, which were attended by 160 people in total. 100% of respondents to our follow up survey told us they’d recommend the workshop to a friend.
- Providing consultancy and training on trans inclusion and on trans inclusive healthcare.
- Publishing 17 new feature articles on our website, with a particular emphasis on the lived experiences of Black trans people, trans People of Colour, and disabled, chronically ill or neurodivergent trans people.
- Continuing to provide reliable and up to date information on healthcare and the law for trans people and trans allies. Providing accurate and relevant information on trans-inclusive healthcare for healthcare professionals. Our website has had more than 127,000 visitors this year.
- Providing information and signposting to more than 100 individual trans people that had contacted us via social media or e-mail.
- Providing information for trans people and our allies via our social media channels on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Mastodon, BlueSky, Threads and Twitter/X (note: we are winding down our Twitter/X account due to ongoing issues with targeted harassment). Across our social media channels, we have 66,595+ followers and had more than 4.5million impressions on our social media posts. 478 people receive the TransActual newsletter.
- Activities to develop TransActual as a stable and sustainable organisation.
- Working to improve the experience of volunteers at TransActual and to ensure they feel like part of our team.
Consultation responses, joint statements and press
Joint statements
Consultation responses and evidence submissions
Communications and Digital Committee’s inquiry, The future of news: impartiality, trust and technology – joint response with Trans Media Watch
Response to consultation on DfE Guidance for Schools and Colleges on Gender Questioning Children
Response to Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s consultation on Gender identity healthcare services standards
Press
Proud Changemakers Podcast: How charities are responding to online hate
Other
Co-facilitated a workshop on transition related healthcare at the TUC’s Trade Union Trade Union Alliance for Trans and Non-Binary Rights February meeting.
Chay Brown spoke at a Parliamentary briefing event on transition related healthcare.
Focus On: Trans Health Webinar attended by 100 healthcare professionals, 90% of survey respondents said they’d recommend a TransActual webinar to a friend or colleague.
TransActual shortlisted for a British Diversity Award in the Charity or Not-For-Profit of the Year category.
TransActual publish What Do I Need To Know About Surgery? A guide for trans people
Joint statements
Joint open letter on LGBTQ+ and women refugees
Enough: A joint statement from the LGBT+ Sector’s Leadership
Joint Statement on the Supreme Court ruling on the Government’s Rwanda plan
Consultation responses and evidence submissions
Press
The Tories are endangering my life for the sake of a culture war
‘I was chased down the street for wearing heels’: Trans people on surge in hate crimes
Tories announce plan to ban trans women from female hospital wards
Chay Brown (Director of Operations + Director for Healthcare) appeared on LBC to discuss Steve Barclay’s comments about trans people on single-sex hospital wards.
Other
Attended the LGBTQ+ sector networking brunch – Conservative Party Conference fringe event.
Attended the LGBTQ+ sector networking brunch – Labour Party Conference fringe event.
Meeting with the European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance.
Focus On: Trans Health Webinar attended by 119 healthcare professionals, 96% of survey respondents said they’d recommend a TransActual webinar to a friend or colleague.
Chay Brown (Director of Operations + Director for Healthcare) delivered a keynote session at The Transgender Healthcare Conference 2023: Tackling Inequalities and Providing Support.
Consultation responses and evidence submissions
Submitted a response to NHS England Stakeholder Consultation: New referral pathway for children & young people’s gender incongruence service
Submission to UN committee on economic, social & cultural rights
Submission of evidence for the Electoral Commission Report on the May 2023 local elections in England
Press
Trans men launch legal action over NHS surgery ‘failures’: ‘Left in limbo’
Tory school guidance for trans kids could break UK law, research suggests
EHRC reopens investigation into ‘toxic’ culture, ‘bullying, harassment and discrimination’
Braun razor advert under review after anti-trans backlash to transgender male model
Helen Belcher OBE (Managing Director and Chair of Directors) appeared on the Radio 4 Today Programme in a discussion about Labour’s policy on the Gender Recognition Act.
Chay Brown (Director of Operations + Director for Healthcare) appeared on the Trans Vox podcast.
Chay Brown (Director of Operations + Director for Healthcare) appeared on Newsnight to discuss changes to access to gender clinics for 17 years olds.
Other
TransActual marched at London Trans Pride.
Helen Belcher OBE (Managing Director and Chair of Directors) participated in the US State Department Exchange Programme on LGBTQ+ Advocacy.
jane fae (Director for Press and Director of Law) attended a Law Commission Roundtable on the experiences of the criminal justice system for LGBTQ+ victim survivors of sexual violence.
TransActual attended the LGBT Consortium Equity Fund Showcase, showcasing the work that had been funded by the grant we received.
Maryam Din (Director for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Community Engagement) and Chay Brown (Director of Operations + Director for Healthcare) met with representatives from Pride House Tokyo on their visit to the UK.
Joint statements
Joint letter to GANHRI asking them to review the EHRC
Joint open letter on trans healthcare for autistic adults
Press
NHS urged to fix ‘deadly’ years-long waits for trans masc bottom surgery
EHRC: Equalities boss asked to explain what ‘biological sex’ is. He failed
Trans activist slams Kemi Badenoch for launching a campaign that ‘excludes trans people’
Trans activists horrified as UK government considers making ‘sex’ mean ‘biological sex’
Keir Starmer backs Equality Act review despite trans activists’ warnings
Rishi Sunak is talking about penises again while food poverty and cost of living soars
Kemi Badenoch claims Tories are taking the ‘toxicity’ out of trans ‘debate’. No, really
EHRC: Equalities watchdog ignored trans rights concerns over ‘biological sex’ advice
LGBTQ+ advocates shocked by Equality Act reforms debate: ‘Distressing and infuriating’
Pride and joy: how do you find love today if you’re LGBTQ+?
Five trans activists on what you need to know this Pride
Other
We attended the launch of the TUC’s Trade Unions for Trans Rights Network.
Meeting with Victor Madrigal-Borloz, United Nations Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Chay Brown (Director of Operations + Director for Healthcare) spoke on a panel at the CliniQ Conference.
Started work to research the factors influencing positive and negative healthcare experiences for trans people. This qualitative research will be published in 2024.
Helen Belcher OBE and Chay Brown are named on the Pride Power List.
TransActual were one of several trans organisations marching at the front of Pride in London.
Chay Brown (Director of Operations + Director for Healthcare) spoke on a panel at TUC LGBT+ Conference.
jane fae (Director for Press and Director of Law) delivered a presentation to London Hate Crime Stakeholder Reference Group
Focus On: Trans Health Webinar attended by 25 healthcare professionals.
Keyne Walker joins TransActual’s board as Director for Strategy.
Joint statements
Joint statement on Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill
Joint letter to the Prime Minister asking for a ban on conversion therapy
Ban Conversion Therapy Coalition Letter to the Prime Minister
Consultation responses and evidence submissions
Contributed to Just Fair’s submission to the UN Committee on Economic, Social & Cultural Rights
Press
UK government blocking Scotland gender bill is ‘shameless attack on trans rights’, activists say
Trans activists blasts Tory government’s ‘outrageous’ response to Scotland’s gender law reform
Voter ID rollout chaos could stop tens of thousands of people voting in May elections
LGBTQ+ groups alarmed by UK review of migrant trans recognition
Dog whistles in context – Transphobia
Other
Helen Belcher (Managing Director and Chair of the Board of Directors) is awarded an OBE in the new years honours list.
jane fae delivered a workshop for LGBT Consortium’s AGM.
Maryam Din co-facilitated a session at the LGBT Consortium AGM: ‘Anti-oppressive Practice in the LGBT+ Sector
We attended the initial meetings of the TUC’s Trade Unions for Trans Rights Network
Maryam Din spoke on a panel at the NEU LGBT+ Conference: ‘How do we challenge anti-LGBT+ groups through intersectional feminism?’