GCN was a fly on the wall as a new generation of trailblazers sat down with esteemed community leaders to share their experiences. Each of the amazing pairings spoke about their lives, how attitudes have changed from generation to generation and how they look after themselves when times are tough. Photographs by Hazel Coonagh.

Sara R Phillips Chairperson of TENI

SPEAKS WITH Alexís Ríva

Sara: Mental health has been crucial to me since started out on this journey 25 years ago. An awful lot of it was to do with looking after yourself. In the early days didn’t. Eventually, started looking into ways of finding time for myself, to step back and do things that might be a little less stressful. That’s served me well, especially in the last 15 years since transitioned.

Alexis: How long are you in TENI?

Sara: I’m a member of TENI since the start, which is 2006, but I’m the Chair since 2012.

Alexis: Going back before that, what about when you wouldn’t have met many other trans people?

Sara: I’ve had connections to trans people since 1992 from when first stepped out into the predominantly gay community, but the trans community were on the periphery of that. went through four or five years when was struggling with only being able to spend part time life as myself because had responsibilities. struggled with how was ever going to transition as a middle aged person working in the construction industry predominantly, how would you pay for a roof over your head, food on the table, maintenance for the kids, and keep your family with you? When went to the support group in Dublin the first time it started had other people to share my stories with and would listen to them and we could share our problems.

Alexis: didn’t have a family to think of, or all the obstacles you had to consider. So my way of dealing with my mental health is to be around other trans people, because don’t actually encounter that many trans people in my general life, in work or living in Louth.

Sara: Do you think it was more beneficial you were that bit younger when you were dealing with your transition, that you didn’t have those extra pressures on you?

Alexis: Definitely. Like, only start figuring myself out when met other trans people. But would love a family. look at other people who have transitioned and already have kids. feel like it will be a lot harder now to have kids.