Category: News
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As Summer creeps up, the Not A Phase team have been blasting some of our favourite songs created by trans+ artists or bands including one trans+ member to get us in the mood for festival season, especially with Mighty Hoopla just around the corner!
The playlist features some differing genres of music, from the house and dance-pop anthems of Tom Rasmussen’s debut album that details their experiences as a non-binary person to the hard dance tracks of TAAHLIAH whose music also explores her identity as a trans+ person. Bimini’s fun, camp anthems are honest and full of heart and Angelica Ross’s recent single proves again her versatility as a performer. Other music featured in the playlists includes songs from Freddie Lewis, Ethel Cain, Sam Smith, Laura Les, G Flip and Liniker, as well as music from MUNA and Pale Waves, both of whom have one member who identifies with part of the trans+ community.
Whilst the current landscape for our community is harsh, it’s incredibly heartening to see trans+ adults creating incredible art and expressing themselves in the most honest and authentic way and sharing their stories with the world.
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Here at Not A Phase, we’re always looking for ways to enhance our community and today, we’re recommending some of our favourite books for trans+ authors that have been enjoyed by the Not A Phase team recently. We’ll be posting link to buy these books from ‘Gays The Word’, a queer bookshop based in London who ship across the UK.
Transitional – Munroe Bergdorf
“Transitional” by Munroe Bergdorf is a brave and moving memoir that invites readers into the heart of her transformative journey as a transgender woman. From her early years grappling with identity to the struggles and triumphs of coming out, Bergdorf lays bare the complexities of navigating a world that often doesn’t understand or accept gender diversity. With raw honesty and unwavering courage, she shares the highs and lows of her transition, offering insight and inspiration to those who may be on a similar path. “Transitional” is a testament to the power of self-love, resilience, and the beauty of living authentically.
Nevada by Imogen Binnie
“Nevada” by Imogen Binnie is a groundbreaking novel that explores the complexities of gender identity, self-discovery, and the search for belonging. Set against the backdrop of the punk scene in New York City, the story follows the journey of Maria Griffiths, a transgender woman in her mid-twenties who is struggling to find her place in the world. Binnie’s writing is bold, fearless, and unapologetic, challenging readers to confront their own preconceptions and biases. As Maria navigates the highs and lows of her transition, she discovers a sense of purpose and connection that she had always been searching for. “Nevada” is a powerful and unforgettable book that celebrates the beauty of difference, and the power of community to heal and transform. Published for the first time in the UK last year, it’s amazing to finally have access to this incredible book!
None of the Above – Travis Alabanza
“None of the Above” by Travis Alabanza is a poignant and personal memoir that offers a powerful exploration of gender identity, race, and what it means to belong. Through their own experiences as a Black, gender non-conforming person, Alabanza illuminates the struggles and joys of navigating a world that often fails to understand or accept diversity. With a compelling blend of vulnerability and strength, Alabanza reflects on the challenges of coming out, dealing with discrimination, and finding community in unexpected places. “None of the Above” is a must-read for anyone seeking to expand their understanding of gender, race, and the complexities of identity in our society today.
Summer Fun by Jeanne Thornton
“Summer Fun” by Jeanne Thornton an epic, singular look at fandom, creativity, longing, and trans identity. Gala, a young trans woman, works at a hostel in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. She is obsessed with the Get Happies, the quintessential 1960s Californian band, helmed by its resident genius, B—-. Gala needs to know: Why did the band stop making music? Why did they never release their rumored album, Summer Fun? And so she writes letters to B—- that shed light not only on the Get Happies, but paint an extraordinary portrait of Gala. The parallel narratives of B—- and Gala form a dialogue about creation—of music, identity, self, culture, and counterculture.
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This week, across the UK, we’ve launched our new ‘THIS IS NOT A PHASE’ campaign with billboards, posters and a short film that is live on our website. The campaign is to create awareness and uplift the lives of trans+ people.
So often trans+ people are portrayed as people to be feared or hated in mainstream media, they not only exist in everyday life but in fact thrive, living as ‘normal’ and joyful a life as everyone else. You can catch our national billboards across London, Bristol, Manchester, Edinburgh and Cardiff!
The THIS IS NOT A PHASE campaign will focus on positivity and joy, profiling eight trans+ people, going about their day to day lives in a bid to counter the damaging narrative currently being blamed for an increase in hate levelled at the community.
Shot by renowned photographer Jordan Rossi (Rankin Creative), the campaign will run for 6 weeks, finishing on March 31st, which is Transgender Day of Visibility and will be visible in town centres throughout the UK, on billboards, tubes and buses.
The stars of the campaign are also featured in the THIS IS NOT A PHASE video, available to view below. The stars of the video include Haina Qarithe AL-Saud, a British Middle Eastern Actor, and Miller Nelson, founder of Trans Hull, a climbing club for the trans+ communities of Hull and the surrounding areas.
Danielle St James, Chief Exec of Not A Phase explained: “The current narrative being pushed out by some in the UK is one of trans+ people being different, wrong and even dangerous. This is stoking fear and hatred which is having a devastating impact on our community, with verbal and physical abuse becoming increasingly common.
“This is not the first time we have seen how this narrative plays out. It mirrors the way in which gay people were treated in the 80s and, as was the case with our LGB siblings, it is a portrayal that couldn’t be further from the truth. In reality, trans people have always been part of society, they are your bus drivers, your police officers, your lawyers, your dog walkers, your cabin crew…just normal people, getting on with living their normal lives as contributing members of society. Our campaign aims to highlight this fact.”
In the coming weeks, we aim to take our campaign into as many spaces as possible in the run up to Trans Day of Visibility on March 31st, when we’ll be hosting a very special event in central London to mark the occasion. If you’d like to get involved in any way, or help us to spread the word, contact us as hello@notaphase.org
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The Census is a survey of the population and housing in the United Kingdom that is conducted by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The Census is conducted every ten years and provides important information about the characteristics and circumstances of the people and households in the country. The data collected by the Census is used to inform government policy, allocate funding to local authorities and communities, and support research and planning.
The 2021 Census in the United Kingdom included a question on gender identity for the first time. The census question on gender identity was a voluntary question asked of those aged 16 years and over. The question asked “Is the gender you identify with the same as your sex registered at birth?”.
However, it is important to note that the Census is a voluntary survey and individuals are not required to answer any questions they do not feel comfortable answering. All responses to the Census are confidential and are used only for statistical purposes.
The ONS have finally released the information regarding gender identity from the 2021 Census, which includes the following;
- Over 47.5 million (94% of the population aged 16 years and older) answered this question, with 93.5% (45.4 million) answering ‘Yes’ and 0.5% (262,000) answering ‘No.
- Within the ‘No’ group respondents;
- 48,000 (0.10%) identified as a trans man.
- 48,000 (0.10%) identified as a trans woman.
- 30,000 (0.06%) identified as non-binary.
- 18,000 (0.04%) wrote in a different gender identity.
- 118,000 (0.24%) answered ‘No’ but did not put a write-in response to this question.
The ONS also looked at how this data varied across both England and Wales and found the following;
- The percentage of the population who reported a different gender identity to their sex assigned at birth was slightly higher in England (0.55%) than it was in Wales (0.40%).
- Within England, the region with the highest percentage was London (0.91%) and the region with the lowest percentage was the South West (0.42%).
- Compared with the rest of England and Wales, London had a higher percentage of those identifying as a trans man (0.16%), trans woman (0.16%) and those who answered ‘No’ but did not include a write-in answer (0.46%).
- Out of the top 10 local authorities for percentage of people responding ‘No’, 8 were in London, with Newham (1.51%) and Brent (1.31%) coming out on top.
- The two non-London local authorities included in the top 10 were Oxford (1.25%) and Norwich (1.07%).
- In Wales, Cardiff (0.71%) and Ceredigion (0.70%) were the two authorities with the highest percentages.
When looking at the split of specific gender identities in relation to the individual’s local authority, we can see the following;
- The highest percentage of the population identifying as trans men was in Brent (0.28%) and Newham (0.25%).
- Whilst Barking and Dagenham (0.25%) had the highest percentage of individuals who identified as trans women.
- In Wales, Cardiff had the highest percentage of individuals identifying as trans men (0.12%) and as trans women (0.13%).
- However, interestingly, the five local authorities with the highest population of those identifying as non-binary were all outside of London.
- Brighton & Hove had the highest percentage at 0.35%, followed by Norwich (0,33% and Cambridge (0.26%). Rounding out the top 5, in fifth place, was Ceredigion, in Wales, at 0.23%.
The question on gender identity was new for the Census 2021, which was added to provide the first official data on the size of the transgender population in England and Wales. The data will help to provide better quality information for monitoring purposes, support anti-discrimination duties under the Equality Act 2010 & aid allocation for resources and policy development.
Keep your eyes peeled for some more news breakdowns throughout the year, as the ONS begin to release more information regarding the sexual orientation and gender identity analysis, including information on other contributing factors!