Transgender Remembrance Day: Gender identity, trans-awareness and policing

For Transgender Day of Remembrance (20 November) and Transgender Awareness Week (13 -19 November), LJMU Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Advisors, Anita Awotunde and Julia Daer, caught up with Christian Owens, founder of GenderSpace, to discuss gender identity, trans- awareness and policing. 

Christian, a former police officer and finalist for the Lifetime Achiever Award at the National Diversity Awards 2020, uses his own journey of personal lived experiences, to amplify the voices of those often unheard, and spread knowledge on issues that transgender communities face.  

During the interview, Christian discussed what inspired him to start GenderSpace and explored topics such as the gender recognition certificate, allyship, the process of transitioning, his experience of being a police officer, the challenges he has encountered, as well as advice on the different ways we can support trans communities. 

Special thanks to Christian Owens for his time and thank you to Zoe Lodge, Kieran Crawford, and Max Hayes from the Liverpool Screen School for filming and editing this video interview. 

Find out more about GenderSpace.

If you have any questions regarding the video, get in touch with our LJMU Equality team: equality@ljmu.ac.uk . 

Respect Always. At LJMU, above all else, we want everyone who studies here, works here or works with us, to feel respected, and respect others.

Amna Akram 

Third year LJMU Journalism Student