A new resource for the Travelling community to raise awareness about transgender people has been launched by Pavee Point and TENI.

Tracey Reilly, Pavee Point Traveller Community Development Worker said the culturally appropriate resource “is a unique partnership as it brings together marginalised communities to work together to promote inclusion.” She continued: “We want to fight all types of discrimination. We also want to ensure that services are better suited to address the needs of our communities.”

TENI Operations Manager, Gordon Grehan said: “By working together to increase the understanding of trans identities we can change the way trans people are treated and viewed.” He elaborated: “We hope this will ultimately reduce transphobia in Ireland and help to improve outcomes for this very marginalised group. The positive visibility and acceptance of Travellers who are trans is crucial to their improved mental health and wellbeing.”

The collaboration between the two groups involved Pavee Point providing culturally appropriate training to TENI staff with TENI in return providing training to Pavee Point about what it means to be trans, both tailoring their training with prospective audiences in mind.

Aoife Mallon, Pavee Point Primary Health Care Co-Ordinator, said at the launch: “We know trans Travellers exist and through our work we want to ensure positive visibility and inclusivity in the Traveller rights movement going forward.”

Pavee Point are a national and international NGO in Ireland founded to seek the realisation of Traveller and Roma rights and to improve the lives of members of these minority communities. TENI (Trans Equality Network Ireland) seek to improve conditions and advance equality for trans people in Ireland through support, education and advocacy.

Copies of the resource, headed What Does The T In LGBTQI Mean?, will be distributed nationally among Traveller and LGBTQI groups and can be accessed online here.