The season is upon us! It’s that time of year again… for cosy evenings, good food, old friends, and family… After the year we’ve all had, it’s a well-earned break, with celebration perhaps feeling more needed than ever.

To everyone celebrating Christmas, of course, we wish you the merriest and most joyous of times!

But we also know that not everyone feels they quite fit at this time of year. Not all of us feel the warmth and, aside from that, not all of us celebrate Christmas. For many reasons. Some of us come from diverse faith backgrounds, and some of us come from none. Others of us, for quite different reasons, just don’t feel safe, welcome, or supported. For those of us feeling outside of Christmas, we want to say that we see you, and we encourage others to see you too. For many, the festive period can evoke complex and difficult emotions, and we want to take the time to recognise that.

Many LGBTQIA+ people feel estranged, isolated, their boundaries may be pushed. Some struggle with unsupportive or passive aggressive families. Some suffer violence. Some of us struggle financially at this time of year, some despair at the consumerism, and for some, the festive period can invoke trauma from the past and present. Some of us will be longing to celebrate this year, but instead be stuck working long hours or shielding due to COVID. For many LGBTQIA+ people and beyond, Christmas is a difficult and painful time of year, or bittersweet, with moments of joy, and others of sadness and anger. This season may be a reminder that our family does not accept us for who we are. This may mean a Christmas spent with chosen family instead, or alone, or anxiously spent hiding a part of ourselves away. For others, it means a day fraught with tension or arguing. Some may be remembering loved ones who are no longer here, while others may be struggling to feel OK, and to get into the ‘Christmas spirit’.

We want to say, to everyone out there who may not be feeling the positive vibes this festive season, that we see YOU. YOU are NOT alone.

From everyone at Equality Network and Scottish Trans, we send you strength, love and, we hope, a little bit of joy to carry you into the new year. Bring on 2022, where we will fight even harder for positive change for you and our community.

             … We will see you next year, ready to find some more!

For those that might need these:

• Breathing Space Scotland: https://breathingspace.scot/ or call 0800 83 85 87.
• Samaritans: https://samaritans.org/ or call 116 123.