In July, we published a story about the multiple challenges Covid-19 has created for trans and nonbinary people. Over the next few months we will run a short series looking at issues affecting local transgender, nonbinary and gender-diverse (trans) communities, driven by people’s lived experiences. While focusing on healthcare, we hope the stories will help shed some light on what life is like for the people actually facing these issues, challenging the stigma and lack of information which often affect their public perception.
Struggle for trans health equality

Listen: Bristol Unpacked with Neil Maggs
Staying married after gender transition and the dispute over transgender rights
Steffi made national news with her story of transitioning gender later in life to officially becoming a woman while deciding with her wife to stay together.

Struggle for trans health equality
‘Trans broken arm syndrome’: healthcare nightmare for trans people is about more than hormones
Content warning: body dysphoria, secondary sex characteristics This is part of the Struggle for trans healthcare equality mini-series, looking at issues affecting local transgender, nonbinary...

Struggle for trans health equality
‘She was just left to it’: bereaved mother slams mental health care before death of her trans daughter

Struggle for trans health equality
Writing on the wall: why trans and nonbinary people in Bristol are speaking out
Covid-19 brings difficult times for Trans people in Bristol as government expected to ditch reforms
Accessing trans healthcare was already a difficult and lengthy process and during the pandemic, it’s virtually ground to a halt. It comes as the government is expected to announce it has ditched plans to allow trans people to self-identify.
Where to find out more, access support, and/or donate:
- Bristol Mind – mental health charity running the country’s first trans hotline
- Trans Pride South West – organising an annual pride festival and more
- Bristol Transcaf (bristoltranscaf@gmail.com) – informal social group for trans and intersex people in Bristol
- Freedom LGBTQ+ – young people’s charity in Bristol
- Kiki Social – space for queer and trans people of colour in Bristol
- Gendered Intelligence – UK charity working with trans people aged 18-25
- Gires – UK Gender Identity Research and Education Society
- Mermaids – UK charity working with trans children and young people
- Purple Rain Collective – UK collective space for queer, trans and intersex people of colour
- Stonewall – UK LGBT charity