1. Why do you want to stand?
I am running for this position because I am a queer transgender man and the safety and wellbeing of myself and my community is highly important to me. I am a firm believer that every trans person, binary or non-binary, deserve to feel safe and supported by everyone they meet at University and by the university itself. I want to ensure that every trans student knows that they have someone to talk to and who knows what they're going through so they don't have to be silent if they're having problems.
2. How would you represent Staffordshire University Students?
I would represent transgender and nonbinary Staffs students by acting as a visibly and loudly queer person who people can come to about their problems and their welfare as well as rely on to fight for all LGBTQ+ students rights.I would help ensure that all students felt listened to when it comes to Transgender related issues not just on a University scale but a national one too. Currently, trans people in the UK face a variety of issues in terms of their health and welfare and I believe that representing transgender students means taking these issues into account and directly facing them.
3. If you could change three things about anything to do with being a student at Staffordshire University, what would they be?
- Asking for more Transgender and Queer representation in the curriculum
I want to help campaign for better representation of transgender people in curriculum of all courses. Across the UK there are many amazing trans people in various careers who deserve to be taught about. By teaching more about transgender and non-binary individuals, it allows for transgender students to feel seen at a higher level and can help assure them that they have a place in their chosen field.
- Encouraging all Staff and Students to display their pronouns in emails and other places where possible.
One of the most helpful things for Transgender Students is the knowledge that they can safely inform lecturers and other students about their pronouns and have them be used. A great way of doing this would be asking and encouraging all lecturers and staff to sign emails and things off with their pronouns. I want to make this happen so that there is an open conversation about pronouns and open support from all people associated with the University.
- Helping Transgender Students to feel safer in Student Housing
For transgender students, accommodation is one of the scariest things about coming to university. The fear and worry that you may be living with someone who is transphobic or does not understand who you are, or even the feeling of not being able to relax from the pressure of having to seem a certain way. I want to campaign and try to work out a programme that allows LGBTQ+ students, particularly trans and non-binary students, the ability to ask to be put together in Student Accommodation. As well as this, I would want to push Reslife to give greater support to Transgender students and assist if they need to move accommodation out of fears of safety.
4. What do you think is the biggest issue facing Staffordshire University?
Currently, I think one of the biggest problems for the University is the lack of community a lot of students currently feel. For people in their first year at University this year, many haven’t had the chance to meet many of their classmates and lecturers in person as well as make friend so I feel a lot of student may feel alone or haven’t had the chance to meet students like them.
5. What do you think is the biggest issue facing the Students' Union in the next 12 months?
I think recovering from the Coronavirus situation is a big challenge in the next 12 months. Looking at the LGBT+ Network, a lot of usual events and initiatives haven’t been able to run this year, such as Trans 101 groups as well as schemes like Binder Bucket. As such, a lot of students may not be aware of the network and the things it offers. I think all groups and services ran by the Student Union are similarly going to feel this so the big thing for the next year is working out how to run these events again as well as come up with new Online ones.
6. Please tell us about a priority campaign that you would run if elected?
Creating and advertising a new initiative to directly support students seeking help and support transitioning.
For many trans people, university is the place where they can go and be themselves and start to make changes in their life. I want to make sure that students have somewhere and someone they can go to who can provide information and help on different parts of transitioning. Whether it be changing their name, learning how to dress differently, medically transitioning, I want to ensure young trans people can easily access information and support. As well as this, mature trans students would also have the opportunity not just to access this service but also possibly help with running and giving advice. This initiative could be ran as a weekly session, online resource area or even a physical resource area somewhere within the Library/Learning Spaces that has lists of resources and people students can contact.
7. Why does that campaign matter to students?
This campaign would be so important to Trans and Non Binary students as a lot of transgender people struggle to find resources and help easily to help them with their transition. The ability to know that there is somewhere and someone they can go to to ask questions and find out information would be incredibly important. It also would allow non trans students to have a place they can come to for judgement free questions as well as helping people who want to explore their gender identity safely.
8. What can you offer that no-one else can?
I am a very loud transgender man and I am very happy to be one. I always make myself known and am proudly out as I want to be the sort of person that people can see and go ‘they’re like me’ and rely on. And as such, I have spoken to other trans people I’ve met at university and the struggles that they have gone through. I'm not afraid to speak up, especially when seeing other people struggling, and will listen and fight for any student who needs that support during their University expeirence. During my work as a Student Communications ambassador, I have made several videos about Transgender Issues and my own experiences as a transgender person, such as recently doing a vlog about my transition as well as an Instagram Q&A. I can offer someone who is confident and caring and that you can rely on to look after you as well as stand up for you when needed.
9. Sum up your election campaign in less than 140 characters.
I am here to ensure Transgender and Non-Binary students feel safe, supported and that they make a difference to Staffordshire University.