Brophy’s Ethan Bloom knows the importance of visibility and allyship for the south-west trans community.
People gathered at Warrnambool TAFE in partnership with WRAD Health for a BBQ in celebration of Transgender Day of Visibility on Monday — an international event held on March 31 each year to recognise and celebrate transgender, gender diverse, and non-binary people.
Ethan said public shows of support help people feel included.
“It’s good for minority communities to see themselves in their wider community,” he said.
“Especially with everything that’s happened, end of last year, beginning of this year, both in America and we’re seeing it over here as well, it’s good to know that there’s support.
“Yeah just to know that you’re not alone, there’s strengths in our community, there’s strengths in our allies, yeah, to know that we have that network.”
Ethan said support from outside the queer community makes a real difference in how people experience this kind of public debate.
“It helps with that feeling of isolation, and that we don’t have to fight this on our own, we’ve got our allies, which has always been such an important part of our movement, not just like your immediate community but our support outside.”
“We’re not going to hide away and accept it; we are going be out, and we are going to be proud regardless of what they say.”
“They can’t get rid of us, we’re everywhere.”