The Power of Community

Earlier this year I joined the family and friends of Brianna Ghey, a sixteen year old trans girl from Warrington, murdered by two teenagers last February. A candle-lit vigil took place in a packed-out park in Central Manchester where LGBTQIA+ activists and charities gathered to speak about Brianna’s life and the societal injustice that led to her death. Gathering in an act of remembrance, the anger and frustration that evening was palpable, as was the desire for change in a world where trans youth suffer under a lack of protections globally. I looked around me, as hands were squeezed, and tears were wiped. In that moment I witnessed a community form and strengthen in the face of fear.

While few lives will end in such brutality as Brianna’s did, her death speaks to the real experience of violence for so many LGBTQIA+ people, particularly trans people, locally. The Rainbow Project State of the Community Survey (2021) found that 47% of respondents felt unsafe being an LGBTQIA+ person in Northern Ireland. In such trying times where rhetoric seeks to divide, and substantive representation among political leaders’ wanes, the importance of spaces where LGBTQIA+ people can feel seen, heard, and valued should not be over-stated. Indeed, behind a backdrop of hurt and devastation, Brianna’s death reminded me of the power of community.

Since beginning my new job at HERe NI I have come to realise the value of community. Whether it is a drop-in coffee hour or a board game after work, I have seen how

small gestures can have a significant impact on people’s sense of purpose and belonging. HERe NI works to support LGBTQIA+ and their families; to a create a community where all women feel like they belong. LGBTQIA+ people often face additional barriers to being part of a community due to stigmatisation, marginalisation and discrimination, whether these are real or perceived, and seeking out safe spaces can be challenging. Ensuring that these spaces are respected and protected is a powerful act in helping those affected by violence to seek support.

During these days 16 of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, I urge you to think about community in your own lives. Any experience of gender-based violence is deeply distressing and everyone reacts and responds in different ways. Simply being there for one another, in a space free of judgement, can go a long way in helping those who have experienced or been affected by violence to seek support. While the LGBTQIA+ community remains unbroken, no one should ever again have to experience a similar tragedy as Brianna’s. We will continue to say her name.

Author - Sophie Nelson (Policy Officer, HERe NI)