It’s Mental Health Awareness Week. Normally, that’s a time to talk about stress, burnout, anxiety, and all the ways we can take better care of ourselves and each other.
But this year, I want to shine a spotlight on something much more urgent for me and so many others: the mental health crisis facing trans and non-binary people.
The past month has been traumatic. The Supreme Court ruling on the Equality Act has sparked a media storm - one that’s left many trans people feeling hunted, humiliated, and hopeless. All of a sudden, it feels like everyone is talking about us, arguing about us, analysing our existence, without actually seeing us.
- It’s exhausting.
- It’s isolating.
- And it’s dangerous.
We Don’t Want to Be Noticed - We Want to Be Safe
Most trans people I know don’t want the spotlight. We’re not looking to stand out for being trans. We’re just trying to live our lives quietly, peacefully, and authentically. We want to blend in. It’s called “passing” - and for many, it’s a way to feel safe in a world that often isn’t.
But the recent public hysteria, especially around toilets and changing rooms, has made it impossible to stay invisible. Suddenly, everyone’s watching. Everyone’s got an opinion. And far too many of those opinions are cruel, ignorant, or downright hostile.
Even our so-called guardians of equality - the Government and the EHRC - seem to have turned their backs on us. Some of their words and actions appear to even inside discrimination and victimisation.
The Psychological Toll of Being Public Enemy Number One
What does that do to someone’s mental health?
Imagine being part of a tiny minority already dealing with gender dysphoria, now layered with public scrutiny, isolation, and stigmatisation. Imagine feeling that just existing makes you a target. Then imagine doing that alone, because you’re too scared to speak up.
I’ve seen the damage. People withdrawing. Friends going silent. Families breaking apart. I’ve experienced the rejection personally - excluded from events, ghosted by neighbours, unfriended by people who fear being judged by association.
This has a name: stigmatisation by association.
And it’s happening more and more.
What Can You Do? Start with Being There.
If you’re an LGBTQ+ ally, or part of an organisation that cares about equality, diversity, and inclusion, this is your moment. Don’t wait until Pride Month. Show up now.
Check in with your trans and non-binary friends, family, and colleagues. Let them know they’re not alone. Let them know you still see them as human. That being trans or non-binary is not their identity.
Because here’s the truth:
Self-harm and suicide rates among gender nonconforming people are already four to five times higher than the national average. And with this latest wave of toxicity, more people are asking themselves, “What’s the point?”
Sometimes a message, a smile, a conversation, a show of allyship can make all the difference.
The alternative to inclusion is isolation
And right now, the price of that isolation is simply too high.
Looking Ahead to Pride Month
Next month is Pride Month—a time for celebration, visibility, and community. But this year, I believe it has to be about belonging, allyship, and understanding.
If your organisation is planning Pride activities, I’d love to help. Book a conversation with me and let’s talk about how you can create a space that truly includes and uplifts everyone, especially those who feel the most under attack.
Let’s turn awareness into action.
Let’s make inclusion real.
With hope,
Rikki 💜
#MentalHealthAwarenessWeek #TransInclusion #LGBTQAllyship #EDI #Belonging #Pride2025
#GenderSpeaker #RikkiArundel
1 Comment