The Trans Rights and Pronouns Project

Creating subtle awareness and community for trans youth at TAFE Coomera through stickers, posters and education.

The Project

The objective: to bring awareness and create an unavoidable recognition of trans people and highlight the importance of consistently using the correct pronouns.
As much as widespread TAFE initiatives are necessary, a more personal project gives a level of familiarity and individual representation that helps build community
This project inspires quiet support and gives individuals passing recognition and validation, especially to those who aren’t openly out.Some of this is repeated in Addressed Trans Issues
Why I care (and why you should too!)
(TW: statistics about suicide and self-harm)
Being an openly trans young person is not easy. I am personally aware of the difficulties faced and wish to make living as a trans person even just a little bit easier for those at my TAFE campus. In particular I want to help build a community and enforce the importance of being vigilant in respecting other’s pronouns.
Not only knowing the depression, anxiety and general distress that comes with being trans but also seeing how widespread these issues are gave me the ultimate motivation to launch this project.The Statistics
"Writing Themselves In 4," an Australian survey conducted on a population of transgender and gender diverse youth between the ages of 14 to 21, released a series of troubling statistics, including:
90% experience high psychological distress.
78% have self-harmed.
Nearly 90% of trans youth have experienced suicidal ideation.
34% have attempted suicide.Misgendering
One of the leading causes of negative mental health in Trans and GNC youth is being misgendered. "Misgendering" is a term used to connote when incorrect pronouns or gendered terms are intentionally or unintentionally used to refer to someone (particularly a trans person).
Ignoring a trans persons' pronouns indicates to them that they are unworthy of your respect. It makes trans people feel like an inconvenience, subjects them to an unsafe environment and tells them they deserve to be hurt for the sake of other’s comfort. This has significant negative impacts mental health, including increased depression and anxiety.
Misgendering someone isn’t just disrespect, its discrimination. Whether it’s directly inflicted or indirectly enforced through ignorance, refusing to recognise or use the correct pronouns is blatant discrimination and deserves to be treated as such.Human Rights
One of the hardest parts of being a transgender person outside of the gender binary is knowing I have no legal recognition.
The Queensland Human Rights Commission quotes the Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 in relation to gender identity rights. This act states that it is unlawful to discriminate on the basis of gender identity, however, the definition of gender identity is limited to those who identify ‘as a member of the opposite sex’. Queensland only recognises Male and Female identities, and any legal transitions require surgery.
While some parts of Australia are more accepting of gender diversity, only half of the states and territories legally recognise transgender and gender diverse individuals.

The Story Behind The Project

I wanted to showcase trans pride and raise awareness about the importance of trans rights as well as provide reminders to use the correct pronouns.
I found myself misgendered by peers on a regular basis and intentional or not, it was causing me significant frustration and anxiety.After receiving positive feedback about a shirt I wore that boldly read 'Not A Girl', I decided to do something to represent and support my community.I started with just posting a few small signs around the first floor, all featuring the trans flag and statements supporting the trans community.
I was met with support and positivity from those around me, prompting me to make more, this time moving to spread them around campus.
I found a few of them had been removed throughout the day.
I had anticipated this happening, so I simply replaced them; dedicated to not give up.*I wanted to make some more official resources that were not only more informative, but also less likely to be taken down.I decided then to launch this project.I had already been researching various reports and statistics about trans youth, looking for ways to better understand and support my community.
Unfortunately the experiences of trans people weren't shown to be positive, instead citing the ever-present discrimination and rising mental health issues.I have the privilege of a supportive community of family and friends that allow me to live proudly as myself.
However I am also aware that many people don’t have access to community and support, and I wanted to do something about it.
Especially since I still constantly find myself fighting to be respected; having to educate those around me and repeatedly correct misgendering on a daily basis.I start this project with the hope that I can make Coomera TAFE an easier place to be trans.
By providing a widespread education on transgender people in the issues they face and having supportive signs around campus I aim to normalise trans identities and the correct use of pronouns.
Trans people are people and we deserve the same safety, rights and respect as everyone else.*The original signs were not placed in the allowed locations and hence were taken down. I have since conversed with student services and found the correct locations for the posters to be placed.
Some posters were removed from the appropriate notice boards. I have not heard back from student services as to why this occured, despite making contact multiple times.
Updated posters have since been posted on the cafeteria and music studio noticeboards. There are also a few barcodes put up around campus.

Addressed Trans Issues

Misgendering

Some of this is repeated in The Project
Misgendering is defined as: "[to] refer to (someone, especially a transgender person) using a word, especially a pronoun or form of address, that does not correctly reflect the gender with which they identify."Misgendering is one of the most preventable adversities faced by trans people, however, it is also one of the most common.Why use the correct pronouns?
Ignoring a trans persons' pronouns indicates to them that they are unworthy of your respect.
It makes trans people feel like an inconvenience, subjects them to an unsafe environment and tells them they deserve to be hurt for the sake of other’s comfort.
This has significant negative impacts mental health, including increased depression and anxiety.Misgendering someone isn’t just disrespect, its discrimination. Whether it’s directly inflicted or indirectly enforced through ignorance, refusing to recognise or use the correct pronouns is blatant discrimination and deserves to be treated as such.

Legal Recognition of Non-Binary Genders

In Queensland, non-binary and gender diverse people like myself have no legal recognition.The Queensland Human Rights Commission quotes the Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 in relation to gender identity rights.
This act states that it is unlawful to discriminate on the basis of gender identity.
However, the definition of gender identity is limited to those who identify ‘as a member of the opposite sex’.This act distinctly excludes any recognition of gender identities outside of the gender binary and also invalidates the recognition of intersex people.Queensland only recognises Male and Female identities, and any legal transitions require surgery.While some parts of Australia are more accepting of gender diversity, only half of the states and territories legally recognise transgender and gender diverse individuals.

About The Creator

Hi, I'm Kol and my pronouns are they/he
My Pronouns PageI'm the J.A. trying to spread trans awareness around campus.As this project aims to have a physical and online presence, I am using a different name than I do in person at TAFE.I don't identify with any specific gender, instead just referring to myself as non-binary and trans.I fall somewhere on the aroace spectrum but am otherwise omni-oriented.
(attracted to all genders but with gender preference)At TAFE I study sound production, and am interested in composition and music theory.
My music tastes range from heavy metal to Kpop, with some of my favourite artists being Bring Me the Horizon, Get Scared, Bad Omens, twenty one pilots, BTS and Stray Kids. (I bias SUGA and Hyunjin)I’m neurodivergent and have special interests in English literature and writing. I spend most of my spare time reading online and finding various quotes or sayings. When I have the energy I enjoy writing prose, poetry, literary fiction, and other original works.

Graphics

These are various signs and other graphics I've made.
Contact me for commissions, print outs or requests.
Please give credit for usage
Custom pronouns, flags, wallpapers and profile pictures can be requested or commissioned. More options are freely available but designs may be limited.
Contact: [email protected] or @supposed.to.be.a.writer on Instagram*Some of these are made as a joke, don't take them too seriously.

Trans Signs

Pronoun Cards

Wallpapers

Posters

Contact Me

Cites and Sources