British Embassy TDoV panel (28/03/2023) speech transcript

I was recently contacted by the British embassy because they wanted to organize a panel discussion just a couple of days before the International Trans Day of Visibility, with presentations from trans activists from Europe. Their intent was to empower their LGBT staff and educate when it comes to experiences trans people throughout Europe have, so that they understand our struggles better and hence treat us better. They also wanted to have a general understanding of how different trans related practices and legislation can be throughout Europe, compared to equivalents in the UK.The panel was promoted and held internally as it was specifically for British embassy staff in different parts of the world.
I gave a little presentation with personal and other photos while I was speaking (will not be included here,contact me if you're reaaaally reaaally interested for some reason). There was a QnA session afterwards. I was the only one of the panelists that has actually lived in the UK so they were very eager to compare the experiences.

This is what I said in my presentation:

I am Harry Saxon, an illustrator and comics artist. I was born in the 80s and I am 40. I have been out as a trans man for almost 13 years now. Since I came out I have been very open about my identity, sharing my experiences and helping to spread awareness about trans lives and issues, such as pushing for more inclusion and rights. It is a big part of my identity and I include it in my art whenever I can.
I also like to amplify other queer voices in the arts and collaborate with other LGBTqia people as much as I can. It has caused a lot of awkwardness and discomfort to people that used to be close to me (keyword: used to) and it’s still why I haven’t seen any of my extended family since then.
I have been writing articles about my experiences and views since I felt more comfortable to have a voice.
I have created a blog to document my transition and later the Greek LGBTqia magazine housed it, because there was nothing referencing trans men (or trans masculine people in general) in literature.
When I was looking for information, or simply inspiration, when I fully realized my identity and intent to come out, there was nothing in Greek. Only in English. I could access that, but other people could not. So, I thought, “why not?” and started writing. Then people started messaging me to ask me about whether I thought they were trans or if I could give them information about what to do. Parents whose children were trans or suspected they were sought my counsel, even if I wasn’t a counselor, but simply a trans person that chose to speak publicly about being trans in Greek, making it more accessible and closer to home, if you will. I have been and still am a member of several LGBTqia charities and will keep at it untiI am completely out of energy.

So, I’m now going to talk about some of my experiences that represent only some of the challenges trans people have to face by just being around and living their lives.

In 2013 I have decided to leave Greece, because of the financial crisis and because I could not access any gender affirming care. So I emigrated to the UK, which just a suitcase and a backpack. It was senseless, I had no plan other than being so desperate to be who I am.
During my first week in England I did the thing I needed the most in the whole world, for years. I changed my name and surname via deed poll.
Curious thing about deed polls, they don’t exist in Greece. One cannot simply change their name. They have to go to court and ask permission, if they are trans and (due to the 2017 gender recognition law) then they are only allowed to change their first name and surname suffix (surnames are gendered, the Greek language is terribly gendered, even chairs have a gender). If they want to change their surname, they have to go and submit an application to the mayor of the city they’re registered in. And the mayor can say no, if they deem so.
This is the exact same procedure married women had to go through when they changed their surname to their husband’s surname since… the 70s. If you have an awful sounding surname, you might be allowed to change it, if it’s wrong due to an error, or if it causes you psychological damage.
One would think that being trans and wanting to distance yourself from your family to protect yourself and/or protect them, would be a valid reason to be allowed to change your surname.  My mayor did not.

Even if I have been using Harry Saxon as my full name since 2013, so why not let me just be that person?
Even though my solicitor noted that the surname I was given as a baby caused me distress, since I didn’t want to be associated with my family. The surname on my current identity card is, let’s call it, my birth surname. It’s female. It creates a person I don’t recognise.
So I have taken the mayor to the Council of State, asking for them to reconsider their ruling.
The hearing has been pushed back twice because the mayor did not appear in court and, when it happened, we were asked not to go because of COVID regulations. They told us the Council of State committee would rule according to the documents submitted alone.
I am not sure what I will and what I can actually do should they not allow me to have Saxon as a surname. I first submitted papers for the case in 2020, we still don’t have an answer. And this makes it 6 years since I stared procedures to make my birthname disappear and make my deed poll in congruence with my Greek ID card. That is still not the case and I still have my deed poll, even though I don’t need it anymore because I’ve returned to Greece.

Before the pandemic (whenever that was, I am beginning to forget my dates) I could not apply for settled or pre-settled status in the UK, even though I had the right to. I didn’t have a valid passport anymore and the Greek authorities would not issue a new one to me because the photo on it I would not look like the person in my ID card photo (it was my old ID). And I could not change my ID card before I was allowed to change my name. People at the Greek embassy were courteous but also baffled. They looked at me and tried to follow what I was saying but could not do anything to help me. There was nothing to be done.
And everything I wanted to ask for had to be followed by a million disclaimers and explanations about my trans status and life. Greece has no provisions for people like me and this creates holes when paired with other countries’ systems and legislations. People in the UK would kind-heartedly tell me to “just go change it” or “just ask them to issue you a new one” or something supportive like that, but they could not fathom the amount of bureaucracy I had (and still have) to go through, just because I chose to be myself.

During the COVID pandemic Greece had on and off quarantines and people were required to issue a pass online, whenever they were outside strolling or going to the shops. There were obligated to carry their ID with them subject to checks from the police. I cannot describe what happened with the police AND store clerks acting as police constables when checking trans people’s ID cards. People still don’t know about us. Or, if they know, often they don’t have the whole picture or don’t know things correctly, because some other people don’t want them to. They don’t understand- and because of that- some of them hate us. That’s why I talk, whenever I can. When people ask me to help, I try to help.

When I moved to the UK I have been putting off travelling to see my parents for 5 years. I didn’t want to be subjected to the humiliation of having to explain my ID card to anyone and people asking me who is this and why am I carrying “my sister’s ID”.
When I first travelled back to Greece in 2018, I had caused a slight delay in the flight because my ticket had my Greek birthname on (which was female) and I was obviously a man – after all I started my transition in 2014.
Every member of staff on the plane had to check and see and even update the airport on me being there, sitting uneasily at the seat looking around apologetically even though no one else knew. But I knew, the cabin crew knew, even the captain knew. Was I a security risk? I sure felt as one, even though people were very kind to me. But all the going back and forth and making sure I was who I was saying I was and that it eventually ended up on the passenger manifest as well, was demeaning. I didn’t even want to travel using my birth name, my DEAD name. But that’s what was on my ID. Ironically, I was travelling to Greece to appear in court so that I could get my gender identity recognised, in order to change my name…

I have been pulled aside by the police and detained by security at the airport when officials were determining whether I was telling the truth about me being trans. A lot of times I have been asked if I was a trans woman. I had resorted to carrying a 3-pound folder with me, with all my court’s decisions, deed poll, photos from my transition, letters from the NHS, from my solicitor, articles about me, when going anywhere. I had become paranoid and severely stressed when it comes to travelling and having to pass through security and I still find it difficult.
I think staff of any service have to remember that there are a lot of trans people like me and just treat them kindly, it does go a long way.

2017 saw new legislation introducing legal gender recognition guidelines, that did not rely on any gender affirming surgery or any letters from psychiatrists. This has been the most important step regarding trans peoples’ rights, perhaps in the whole of Greek history.  However there have been several issues that were overlooked and/or handled in a lacklustre manner. I think the situation is very very slowly changing, but that is only due to solicitors winning cases that create precedent and not the Greek state.

I believe in my country we’re still at the awareness stage, even if there has been a massive step forward with the introduction of the gender identity legislation. There has been anti-racism and bigotry legislation, but they have failed to safeguard LGBTqia individuals and the same goes for provisions when it comes to health, employment and education in general. LGBTqia organisations have been pushing for changes but the current government is ignoring calls for change. There was even an LGBTqia committee with members from different LGBTqia charities, designed to give the government counsel when it comes to equality and the needs of sexual identity and gender identity minorities, but its’ findings and assistance have been ignored.

The only thing we can do as individuals and as LGBTqia organisations is to keep talking and keep pushing because we want everything to become better for everyone.
We have to keep living our lives and push, so that more of our siblings, more of our children can come out and be who they are unapologetically. Live and learn and teach others as well (but maybe not all the time because we get tired and we need people to have our backs). At least we know some people are eager to listen to us, otherwise we wouldn’t be having this discussion right now.