An open letter to cis people and those in power

I’m writing this because I don’t know what else to do. I want you to understand what it feels like to be a trans woman in the UK right now.

Every day I’m told, directly and indirectly, that I’m not real, that I’m not welcome, that I don’t belong. I see headlines, hear politicians, and read policies that tell me people like me should be excluded from sport, from public life, from womanhood itself.

You may think it’s just debate or policy. But what you call “debate” is my life. The message I receive, over and over, is that the world would rather I didn’t exist at all. That message seeps into everything until it becomes unbearable.

Sport once gave me community, joy, and friendship but now even that door has been slammed shut. I feel like a ghost watching the world move on without me. I feel humiliated, isolated, and deeply tired.

When you exclude us, mock us, or stand by in silence, you push real human beings closer to the edge. This is not abstract. This is people’s lives. My life.

Please, stop talking about us and start listening to us. Include us, protect us, and make space for us to live without fear. We are not your talking point. We are your neighbours, teammates, friends, and family.

I want to live in a country where being trans doesn’t mean being broken down bit by bit. Where we are treated with the same dignity as anyone else. That shouldn’t be too much to ask.

I just can't take this anymore. Life here in the UK is intolerable.