<\/p>\n
TRANS and Gender Diverse Bendigo and Beyond were recognised for their effort to empower rural and regional transgender people at the recent GLOBE Community Awards.<\/p>\n
Originally started as a peer-support group, TGDBB has established a following across the state, and has become well-known for clothing swaps.<\/p>\n
President Zara Jones was also nominated for the LGBTIQ Rural and Regional Champion award and said attending the GLOBE Awards two years ago as a guest inspired to create her own group.<\/p>\n
She said when she came out as trans four years ago, she got involved with headspace Bendigo and met diversity officer Maree Dixon.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe told me to come along and meet some of the community because I was feeling very isolated and very alone,\u201d Ms Jones said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I went along to this thing I had no idea of and I walked in and saw this room full of amazing energy and passionate people that are all there to support the LGBTI community and make positive change.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was in awe, I was sitting watching people come up and make their acceptance speeches for their awards and talk about the amazing work they were doing, I was so inspired in that moment.<\/p>\n
\u201cI left so driven and passionate about starting our group with this belief that there\u2019s this whole community there that would support us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Two years later, the group won its own award in front of a winder community that has watched their development.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat I was really happy with was we were known,\u201d Ms Jones said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis little group from Bendigo that started as a peer support group so we could find connections within our community, we\u2019ve been noticed by metro areas and bigger organisations.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey were congratulating us, reaching out to support us and acknowledging the work we were doing.\u201d<\/p>\n
TGDBB committee member Alex said he attended the group\u2019s first ever clothing swap, where trans and gender diverse people meet to exchange gender-affirming items of clothing while building connections.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the time I didn\u2019t have many connections with the community, I felt a little bit isolated, and I went there and saw all these trans people of different ages and I realised there\u2019s this community of people like me, here and I wanted to bring that to other people,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Alex said having a support network in a regional town is crucial for gender diverse people, who might otherwise feel alone.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing able to bring community to people in rural areas where, maybe you\u2019re the only trans person in your town because it\u2019s such a small place, it\u2019s so important to have those connections and people to chat to who understand you and accept you for who you are,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Ms Jones said the group recently visited Melbourne Pride, where they hosted a clothing swap, giving out 298 items of clothing and accessories.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery one of those pieces that went out is another person we\u2019ve engaged with; a trans person we\u2019ve empowered or a community member we\u2019ve informed and educated,\u201d she said. \u201cThat exposure is such great value for us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Among the award winners was Piano Bar, which has been operating in Bendigo since 2020, in the Excellence in LGBTIQ Small Business and Enterprise category.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
TRANS and Gender Diverse Bendigo and Beyond were recognised for their effort to empower rural and regional transgender people at the recent GLOBE Community Awards. Originally started as a peer-support group, TGDBB has established a following across the state, and has become well-known for clothing swaps. President Zara Jones was also nominated for the […]<\/p>\n