Jaxon Feeley is a man on a mission. Despite admitting he’s “not the most political person”, the strength of his resolve to improve trans people’s lives in the UK is undeniable. “Put me in front of a roomful of politicians and I will make them all cry,” he says confidently, yet without a hint of arrogance. “Fifty per cent of that room will change its mindset. The other half will come back in 10 years and thank me for what I’m doing because it’s affected someone they love.”
Having risen at lightning speed to become one of the faces of the UK’s trans community, Feeley is pushing for meaningful discussion of trans issues. “We need to have these conversations in a way where everybody realises that it will affect their lives at some point. If you’re putting policies in place now that are going to create chaos for your grandchildren, what are you doing?”
Sadly, neither of the parties that dominate UK politics have demonstrated that they are the one who will stand up for the LGBTQ+ community. In October, Feeley organised a protest in response to the anti-trans sentiments uttered by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (“A man is a man, and a woman is a woman. That’s just common sense”) at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester earlier that month. Meanwhile, Labour, usually a steady supporter of LGBTQ+ rights, has flip-flopped on trans issues.