A member of our school community, Mr Scott Murray, recently came in to recount a story of interest that impacted him on a personal level. His talk centred around the recent transitioning of his former sister, Lisa, to his now brother Wesely. The session gravitated towards the discussion of the experience of transitioning, how all parties involved coped with this change, and, most importantly, how your identity is something worth fighting for.

Scott and Wesely always had a good relationship, loved one another, and were quintessential bickering siblings. However, since they went to separate high schools, they were not extremely close. Despite this, they kept in touch throughout their adult years and met up on occasion.

On one of their get-together’s, Lisa revealed to Scott that she had made the decision to transition, and was already in the process of doing so. Although it came as a surprise, it was not totally unexpected. He supported him unequivocally, although it did take a considerable amount of acclimatisation.

This talk brought up the important topic of identity, as Mr Murray discussed Wesely’s determination to figure out who he truly is. I feel that it really helped me gain a better understanding and appreciation of the LGBTQ+ community, and provided deeper insight into what they really go through.

Being transgender may have initially been considered as a personal thing, but I have now come to understand that it is very much a communal endeavour, as Wesley’s family was always there to support him, as well as having to adjust alongside him.

In brief, this inspiring talk led me to consider two important topics; one being the importance of fighting for your identity, and the other, that nobody ever goes through experiences such as these alone.