Trans MP Jamie Wallis gives thanks for ‘huge outpouring of support’ and clarifies pronouns
Jamie Wallis has been inundated with support since he came out as trans. (Facebook)
The UK’s first openly trans MP Jamie Wallis has thanked the public for their support and clarified that he will continue using he/him pronouns.
The Conservative MP made headlines on Wednesday (30 March) when he publicly came out as trans and revealed that he was the victim of attempted extortion over his gender identity.
He also revealed that he is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after he was raped last year.
In a follow-up statement, Wallis thanked the public for “the huge outpouring of support” he received following his announcement.
“This is all very new to me. It’s taken a long time for me to come to terms with my gender dysphoria. It is a deeply personal matter and I had hoped to continue to keep this private until after I had finished my term as the Member of Parliament for Bridgend,” Wallis wrote.
“I am overwhelmed by the kindness and support I have received in the last few hours. I am proud to be completely open and honest about the struggles I have had, and continue to have, with my identity.”
Wallis continued: “However, I remain the same person I was yesterday. For the time being, I will continue to present as I always have and will use he/him/his pronouns.
“As always, my priority remains serving the constituents of Bridgend.” He urged anyone with further questions to contact him personally.
https://twitter.com/JamieWallisMP/status/1509122636810440709
Boris Johnson mocked trans people hours before Jamie Wallis came out
Wallis shared his journey with his gender identity on social media in the early hours of Wednesday morning (30 March) shortly after he attended a Conservative Party dinner in London.
Boris Johnson, one of the first senior Tories to publicly tweet his support for Wallis, has been roundly criticised after Politico reported that he made a joke about trans people at that same dinner.
According to Politico, Johnson opened his speech with: “Good evening ladies and gentlemen, or as Keir Starmer would put it, people who are assigned female or male at birth.”
Johnson praised Wallis for his courage in coming out publicly in a tweet posted Wednesday morning (30 March).
“Sharing this very intimate story would have taken an immense amount of courage. Thank you Jamie Wallis MP for your bravery which will undoubtedly support others.”
Johnson added: “The Conservative Party I lead will always give you, and everyone else, the love and support you need to be yourself.”
Other senior Tories who tweeted their support for Wallis included Liz Truss, the foreign secretary and minister for women and equalities. Just months ago, she spoke out against self-identification for trans people, telling the Conservative Party conference that the system needed “checks and balances”.
Other Tories to share their support for Wallis include Oliver Dowden, the Tory chair who criticised the west for “obsessing over pronouns” just weeks ago.
Wallis was met with a wave of solidarity following his momentous coming out. LGBT+ groups, allies and activists have tweeted their support for the MP.
