“I’ve always felt safe to express my gender with Carr Gomm.”
The week leading up to International Non-Binary People’s Day on the 14th July is Non-Binary Awareness Week.
Non-binary is a term for people who feel that their gender identity cannot be defined within the gender binary. These people sometimes use gender neutral pronouns such as ‘they’ instead of ‘him’ or ‘her’. To learn more about non-binary people, visit the LGBT Foundation.
The purpose of Non-Binary Awareness Week is to raise awareness about non-binary people and the issues they face, as well as providing a safe space for visibility, stories, experiences and conversation.
Members of our community have shared their experiences of being non-binary, and the positive impact that Carr Gomm’s LGBT Network has had on them.
Wolfie’s Story
“Being part of Carr Gomm has been a huge part of me being able to accept and fully express my gender identity. Having so much warmth, love and acceptance has made me more confident & less afraid to be who I am.”
“When I started with Carr Gomm in 2020 I fully identified as a woman. I always said “it’d be so cool to be non-binary, I’d love to be non-binary but I’m just a woman”. At the time my partner was identifying as non-binary (she now identifies as a trans woman), and I’ll be honest- I was nervous speaking about her at work!
The first sign for me that I was in a safe place was on my first day of training when I met my amazing manager, Clair Harkness. As we were finishing someone obviously in distress came to the office begging for help as they had heard it was a safe space. When Clair asked their name they told her their chosen name and explained it wasn’t their legal one. And she was so accepting! She was so respectful & I knew that I was in a safe space.
It was still nerve-wracking telling my colleagues about my partner, but everyone I spoke to was wonderful & respectful.
Fast forward to 2021, and I came out as non-binary myself & starting using my chosen name. As time’s gone by, I’ve told more and more colleagues, who have always been so respectful & never made me feel weird. They use the correct pronouns (they/she) & make the effort to use my chosen name. Of course there are slip ups but they’re never malicious & always apologise and correct themselves.
Being part of Carr Gomm has been a huge part of me being able to accept and fully express my gender identity. Having so much warmth, love and acceptance has made me more confident & less afraid to be who I am.”
Anonymous’ Story
“I know what I’m not but I still don’t know what I am. I love that Carr gomm has an LGBT+ network & I’m looking forward to being more involved with their activities and meet ups.”
“My experience with Carr Gomm as an LGBT+ person has definitely been a very positive experience. I’ve been able to open up easily within the first day or so to my 2 support practitioners. They’re both LBGT+ which made me feel way more open and comfortable with them.
I fall somewhere under the non binary umbrella but I’m still exploring this part of my identity. Carr Gomm has definitely helped me to explore & understand my non binaryness, and have helped me realise it’s not weird. I also really liked how they changed my pronouns & added my chosen name to my support plan, no one’s done this for me before. I’ve been able to open up quite a bit more and chat comfortably to my workers. Talking about gender can be quite awkward sometimes & can make me anxious because you don’t know if someone is safe, but I’ve always felt safe to express my gender with Carr Gomm.
I’m quite nervous with other people, which has made it hard to meet other LGBT+ people, especially trans & non binary people. I know what I’m not but I still don’t know what I am. I love that Carr gomm has an LGBT+ network & I’m looking forward to being more involved with their activities and meet ups.”
Carr Gomm is currently working towards completing the LGBT Charter. The Charter is a programme that will enable us to proactively include LGBT people in every aspect of our work, protecting our staff and providing high-quality service to the people we support. Find out more here or email lgbtnetwork@carrgomm.org to get involved.
