A 20-year-old man who was bullied at school because of his sexuality and gender-identity has said he wants to be the role model for kids that he never had. Tristan Wood realised he was trans while still at his single-sex high school in the Midlands, where he grew up, but said LGBTQ+ education was "severely lacking".
It wasn't until he was a student at Aberystwyth University - where he fell in love with Wales - that Tristan was able to be his "true self".
Now, the university graduate plans to stay in the country and has become an ambassador for young people experiencing similar difficulties that he did while growing up. Tristan identifies as queer and has been working with the LGBTQ+ young people's charity Just Like Us ever since he was at school. Initially he helped provide resources to students who ran Pride groups in their schools and colleges. Now an ambassador for the charity, he hopes to be the positive representation he lacked when he was growing up for other young people.
"I know so many LGBT+ people who are Welsh who struggled at school because of their identity, which I can sympathise with because I struggled heavily at school too," explained Tristan. "Coming to university here allowed me to be my true self in ways which I could never express in school. I had other LGBT+ friends, but the lack of representation for people like me did make me feel like I was at times the only one.
"It's something that I think a lot of young people like me can understand and I feel like seeing someone on TV like myself would have helped my self-esteem tremendously." You can get more news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
Just Like Us is appealing for more Wales-based volunteers as many young Welsh LGBTQ+ people experience loneliness and suicidal thoughts but just a small fraction of the charity's ambassadors are based here.
Welsh LGBTQ+ young people were the loneliest in the UK and 73% had contemplated suicide, according to the charity's Growing up LGBT+ report. Although hundreds of ambassadors volunteer for the charity to speak in schools, more 18-25 year olds like Tristan are needed specifically in Wales to help young people and ensure positive LGBTQ+ representation in Welsh schools.
"It should never have taken me until university to feel at least mostly accepted by society," said Tristan. "Representation is critical to ensuring that our voices are heard, and for a nation which has a higher rate of loneliness within school-aged LGBT+ people, having this representation means that more and more students will realise they are not alone and others like them are around across Wales."
Amy Ashenden, interim CEO of Just Like Us, said: “We know that LGBT+ young people across the UK face disproportionate challenges, but our Growing Up LGBT+ report showed that young LGBT+ people in Wales are the most lonely. Young LGBT+ people in Wales who decide to volunteer with Just Like Us will join ambassadors across the UK in using their voices and sharing their stories in schools, helping to stop anti-LGBT+ bullying.
“Our ambassadors form a strong and supportive community with one another, and can take advantage of other opportunities in the programme, including skills workshops, LGBT+ career mentoring and taking part in media opportunities, while also being the LGBT+ representation that is so vital in helping young people to feel seen, valued and hopeful about their futures.”
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