Social construct fight: How it feels to be transgender in Toowoomba

Known for being one of the state’s most conservative regions, it’s not easy being gender fluid in Toowoomba. One brave non-binary person says why.

Imagine being born into a label that doesn’t feel like yours – this is the reality for the region’s transgender community, with one of its members opening up about what it’s like to be a non-binary person living in a conservative region like Toowoomba.

Mickey Berry, 23, was born a woman but never felt like they fit the socially-constructed gender concepts of male or female.

So when Australia’s first Covid-19 lockdown occurred in 2020, Mickey went into isolation and was able to reflect on their identity, without the constant fear of being judged by societal norms.

Later that year, they began to identify as non-binary and now use the pronouns they/them.

While this courageous step has been life-changing, Mickey’s journey started far earlier and from as young as 13, when they questioned their sexuality and began to discover they weren’t attracted to men.

“Initially I thought I was bisexual and I did have relationships with men but they never felt right, especially in comparison to the relationships I had with women,” they said.

“So I eventually came out as lesbian and I’m now attracted to women and non-binary people.”

'Yes' supporters celebrate outside the State Library in Melbourne after watching the live result of the Same Sex Marriage Plebiscite on TV in 2017. Picture: Stuart McEvoy (The Australian.)

Toowoomba is often considered to be a highly conservative region and this was further proven in 2017 when Groom and Maranoa became two of the state’s three electorates to hold a majority of no votes in the gay marriage plebiscite.

Now with the Federal Government’s recent attempt to alter the Religious Discrimination Bill to allow schools to terminate students and employees who do not identify as their birth gender, history is repeating itself.

“To see a hate bill that actively discriminates against and doesn’t protect trans kids is very harmful – being trans isn’t a new thing, but it’s still so stigmatised,” Mickey said.

“You’re taking a minority group within a minority group and you’re putting them at risk.”

Federal MP for Groom Garth Hamilton.

Federal MP for Groom Garth Hamilton previously told The Chronicle he voted in favour of the controversial bill.

“This bill is about addressing a void in our legislative framework to ensure we establish the right balance with regards to religious freedoms,” he said.

“(The) bill isn’t about privileging any rights over another, rather providing confidence for religious institutions and organisations to continue engaging with our community, whether that’s through the operation of schools, hospitals or charities, while clearly articulating their genuinely held beliefs.”

Question Time at Parliament House in Canberra, with the Morrison government‘s Religious Discrimination Bill at the centre of debate. Picture: NCA Newswire/Gary Ramage

While Mickey said their high school communities, immediate family and friendship circle had always been incredibly supportive, they’ve also encountered transphobic comments.

“Toowoomba is a pretty conservative area so I’m well aware of the opinions that are here in the LGBTIQA+ community, especially because I grew up in church communities and served as a youth leader for many years,” they said.

“A lot of people think because the bible says one man and one woman, that’s what God wants and they think that gives them the right to be homophobic and hateful.”

Mickey who lives with Autism, said one of the most offensive comments was referring to it as a mental illness.

Since 2019, the World Health Organisation has not categorised being transgender as a mental disorder, yet almost three years later, it’s a debate that has continued.

“I personally identify as gender fluid so I don’t identify as a man or a woman, but am somewhere in the middle,” they said.

“Some days I feel more masculine and some days I feel more feminine – sometimes I do wear skirts and dresses but I don’t think clothes have a gender either – to me that’s more of a social construct.

“It’s definitely not a mental illness – someone just doesn’t wake up one day and say ‘I’m going to be trans’ – why would we put ourselves at a disadvantage and be part of this marginalised community that people hate on just for the sake of it?”

If you need support, please phone Lifeline on 13 11 14 or QLife on 1800 184 527.

Originally published as Social construct fight: How it feels to be transgender in Toowoomba