UK trans mutual aid funds to donate to or get support from

This Trans Day of Remembrance comes as figures show transphobic hate crimes have quadrupled in the UK since 2014. 

Nearly 2,800 crimes linked to transgender identity were recorded in the year to April 2021. 

The stark hate crime figures must be a “wake-up call” to authorities to address LGBTQ+ hate crimes, Robbie de Santos, director of communications and external affairs for Stonewall, said.

And he suggested the real figures could be even higher, as many crimes go unreported.

“From ensuring that LGBTQ+ hate crimes are properly recorded and prosecuted within the criminal justice system, to training police forces to understand LGBTQ+ hate crime and support LGBTQ+ victims and survivors, it’s vital that we all do more to tackle violence and hate,” de Santos added.

Hate crimes targeting trans people have increased alongside a rise in online ‘debate’ over their lives and Gender Recognition Act reforms. That the lives and rights of trans people are so often seen as being up for debate can lead to more violence on an already vulnerable community, campaigners say.

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Gendered Intelligence, a grassroots trans-led organisation, wanted to counter the dehumanisation and extreme scrutiny – by starting a campaign to demonstrate that trans people’s lives are just as boring as cis people’s.

“We wanted to give a glimpse into the reality of daily trans life: walking the dog, going to the pub, having a swim,” a spokesperson said.

The #TypicalTrans campaign encouraged trans people to film day-in-the-life videos showing the “normality and banality that often is trans life” away from the “endless ‘debates’” around their rights.

The campaign wrapped up ahead of Trans Day of Remembrance on Saturday, when people around the world will gather and pay tribute to the peers lost to transphobic prejudice and violence.

These communities are often best-served by grassroots, trans-led support networks like Gendered Intelligence, as trans mutual aid groups across the UK carry out crucial work to support, protect and fight for trans, non-binary and gender diverse people. 

But they need cash to keep their vital operations going. Donating to expert organisations can ensure a vulnerable trans person can find safety and community.

Here are some of the UK trans mutual aid funds in your area, how to donate, and how to get in touch if you’re looking for support. 

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Manchester

Trans Mutual Aid Manchester supports trans and non-binary people with essential costs including emergency housing, buying binders and transport to appointments at gender identity clinics. Donate here.

London

Black trans and non-binary people are more frequently targeted in hate crime and violence than their white counterparts, and face greater challenges accessing decent housing and healthcare. The Black Trans Alliance supports these communities in London through campaigning, a hardship fund, educating those outside the community and peer to peer support.

The Outside Project is a community centre and domestic abuse refuge for the LGBTQ+ community, particularly those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and locked out of mainstream services.

Leeds

TransLeeds provides support and advocacy for trans people in and around Leeds as well as their family and friends. The organisation is run by volunteers who offer advice, support at appointments and practical help. They also run the Leeds Binder Library. 

Non-Binary Leeds gives financial, practical and social support including for healthcare and legal processes.

Glasgow

The Small Trans Library in Glasgow is a lending library for trans and non-binary people as well as running groups, workshops, social events and self defence classes

Their support fund has distributed more than £30,000 to people across Scotland. Donate here.

Birmingham

Birmingham LGBT has been providing sexual health testing, community groups, support for abuse survivors and running a queer arts festival for nearly 20 years. Donate here.

Northern Ireland

TransgenderNI provides resources, cash support, community events and skills programmes for trans people. The organisation supplied hundreds of people with emergency funding for food, rent and bills during the pandemic. They’re fundraising to reopen their community centre in Belfast.

Wales

With local branches in Cardiff and Swansea, Trans Aid Cymru was set up in 2020 after the government scrapped the Gender Recognition Act reforms it had promised.

The organisation provides a plethora of on-the-ground support to trans, non-binary and intersex people. Donate here.