Why representation matters

We all know I look fabulous in men’s clothes. Let’s get that over with. But for most of the day, my gender identity is not my defining feature. As a newly qualified physiotherapist, I feel more consumed by my clinical reasoning, being a good team-mate, and whether I can see my caseload in time to beat the queue for the microwave.

I wear a men’s T-shirt under my polo, men’s chinos, and there are moments when I hate having a female body. It doesn’t align. 

It provokes a stress, a heady mix of claustrophobia, anger, and frustration. 

Equally, there are times when I am less bothered, and moments where I push all gendered thoughts to one side. I have more than 30 years of practice at this – being genderqueer is not a fad, a sudden choice, or a political statement. 

Perhaps five-year-old me just didn’t have the words to express what was going on, especially against schoolteacher and familial disapproval. 

As for my teens and 20s, I suppressed my masculinity. Long hair, make-up, dresses...until the battle ended with a skin-fade haircut. The relief was immediate, and male clothing followed. However, the journey to alignment has been slow, and not without rejection, comments and questions. 

Right now, I am privileged to be part of a fabulously supportive and accepting team. On my first day, a colleague gave me a Progress Pride flag pin, and it felt fantastic to represent our community – our stories, struggles, and our courage to live authentically. One patient, who identified as non-binary, said that they felt relieved to see the badge on my lanyard, and upon telling my colleague, he said: ‘When you feel vulnerable, you look for those signs – to check for safety.’

I hope that our visibility encourages members of the transgender community to seek the healthcare that they need. 

Because we have always been here. And for genderqueer, non-binary and transgender people in our care, I want to say you are safe, you are accepted, you are represented, and we stand with you, both as individuals and as part of the CSP LGBTQIA+ network.