New Easy Read - the history of Pride

[Sarah_Mencap]

You will have probably spotted that it is Pride this month 🏳‍🌈

But did you know Pride Month is in June to mark the Stonewall Uprising that happened in 1969?

We have a new Easy Read guide all about the history of Pride.

Read it here: bit.ly/PrideEasyRead 👈

[LDAutie]

I knew it as I have seen it on a bus at Manchester pride (might have been 2017 or 2018,I’ve only been once-I might as well trying to be going to a psy trance beach rave in goa as it’s just as wheelchair accessible. 😆🤦‍♂️Amazing idea to see this in easy read,I’ll be passing the link on.

Sarah_Mencap I am FtM transgender and made a trans related poster a couple of days ago for my online exhibition and zine-my staff did the writing for me.

many people in the general world out there don’t know there are lots of trans and LGBTQ people with learning disability-i know because of myself and the mencap LGBT group I used to attend!

I have a lot of pride for everyone and how long it’s took us to get to this point where we (as learning disabled people) are finally being accepted as having different gender identities and sexualities along with every one else!

it took me years to get accepted as trans (I am diagnosed with extremely severe gender dysphoria by a consultant gender clinic specialist in learning disability and gender issues) as everyone around me and a GP who had never met me said I didn’t have the mental capacity to know what I felt or thought,I’m also non sexual but people blame that on institutionalism and not me just being me.

it’s important that people with all levels of LD are taught about LGBTQ, not just for identifying themselfs if they’re struggling to understand gender and sexuality (Or lack of in some of our cases) like I was for 25 years, but also because non LGBT learning disabled people can fear us as different and bad but it isn’t their fault,they don’t get the same teaching as others,I know I didn’t in special school.

however I’m having surgery next spring if things go well, you need two different gender psychologist signatures to get put forward to see a surgeon and I did just that last week!

the other psychologist who saw me said I didn’t have mental capacity and said I had very challenging behavior which woud affect being on the testosterone levels I’m on,she had never met me before, and I’m lucky I had taken my mum with me who was able to say what I was like as a child (gender wise) as well as two support staff (I’m 2-1 on days out) who knew me well.

Sorry Sarah for the absolute waffle,night meds and total lack of short term memory don’t mix well.

[Sarah_Mencap in reply to LDAutie]

Hello

Thank you for sharing your experiences on here, and I am so glad you like the Easy Read. You aren't waffling at all 😀

Best of luck with your planned surgery. It is great that your mum was able to support you too.

cheers

Sarah

[LDAutie in reply to Sarah_Mencap]

thanks for understanding sarah! 🙂

i am sorry if it looked like i was post hijacking i wanted to add an experience so that learning disabled people who are yet to know theres a label for how they identify with gender or sexuality or for the families/parents affected can see how it is for someone with LD,i still think its kept very hidden,like the old days of learning disability itself.

[49Twister]

Yes LDAutie good luck with your surgery next year and I hope all goes well for.you. You have posted a lot of invaluable advice on this site on many issues and I take my hat off to you for sharing your personal story and journey. Take care

[LDAutie in reply to 49Twister]

thankyou so much 49Twister sorry i didnt know you had replied!

i might actually start making videos on being LD and trans as itd be good to give both people with LD and parents hope.

it depends on how well my new gaming laptop picks up my ipads AAC though as my dad constantly complains on skype that he cant hear me (he has somehow got a laptop full of viruses,keyloggers and adware so his internet speed and video is all over the place-venture arts and my sister hear me fine,im actually at his house now trying to fix his mistakes,the hard drive is also making a grinding ticking noise which ive told him means its on its way to the computer graveyard,still wont buy a new laptop though,id be first to use it as an excuse to buy a new computer,ive got my eyes on this beast overclockers.co.uk/8pack-hy... my appointee woud collapse if she saw that ).

[Sally426]

Thank you