Morgan Thomas talks identity, visibility and finding her voice

Hosted by Fiona Scott, today’s podcast welcomes Morgan Thomas, who Fiona met at Swindon Town Football club. Fiona approached Morgan and asked if she’d be comfortable enough to share her story on the PR not BS podcast. 

Morgan Thomas shares her experience of being a thirty-year-old trans woman in modern society. She tells us that she works as a DJ, Event Organiser and works as part of the Swindon Culture Collective. Morgan joins Fiona to share with listeners the challenges of being a trans woman today. 

Fiona starts her chat with Morgan by asking about her childhood. Morgan shares that she always knew she felt ‘different’ but only became aware of this confidently at around 26, 27 years old. She states it’s “not something you really think about because the only way to get support medically for being trans, is to begin by doing introspective reflection for the psych evaluation”, which ultimately talks about your childhood. 

She states “upon introspection, it was always a thing going back as far as 11, early teens. There’s a period when you black it out, but it always resurfaces.”

Fiona then goes on to ask if Morgan was fearful to face this truth as an adult. Morgan shares that it was ‘frightening because there’s different problems for trans men and trans women. With trans women are more publicly vilified whereas trans men are essentially erased and put to the side. Both for the same reason because some people believe it is not an ‘actual thing.’  She shares that although she’d never been introduced to the idea of being trans by family, friends or school, it still happened organically. 

Fiona then goes on to ask Morgan if she feels happy, which receives an immediate laughing response. Morgan shares that the short answer is ‘no’ because it’s difficult right now because of the ‘current state of the country and the way things are legislated.’ She also shares how the question is interesting because you wouldn’t ask a cis woman if they’re happy because it’s based on the assumption that being trans is a choice and not something you can’t control. 

Fiona asks Morgan if these are questions, she gets asked every day and Morgan says ‘yes, the different places you work can have different cultural environments. She shares that her current workplace is very good, but she’s worked in other places before where it’s not as easy. She goes on to say that she ‘feels lucky not to have experienced much explicit negative, targeted harassment but that it’s still there as an underlying thing, passively.’ 

Fiona then asks Morgan why she takes the risk to be out there ‘publicly’ and to share her story on social media. Morgan says it’s her ‘basic human right and the only other option is to stay in your house forever. It’s just human rights and it’s heavy talk... I honestly would rather go outside and one day have it end badly or have a bad experience but at least I’m me and not hiding in my house forever because that’s not living. 

She goes on to highlight how insane a question that really is, but it demonstrates the way the topic is slanted. She thinks it’s a different topic to get around. The bottom line is to take a populist approach and appeal to common ground things like medication, gender affirming surgeries on the NHS, things that ‘any woman’ might need.The needs she has for HRT are the same as cis women who need HRT for menopause. We should live and let live. Do we all have the things we need? What is the government doing?

Fiona then goes on to ask about different projects Morgan is involved in. North Star New Wave Sound Collective, which is a loose organisation of rappers, DJs, photographers, visual artists who launch and make free music events in a mean well space. 

Fiona asks Morgan how this came about and she says it “came out of necessity.” After coming out of higher education, Morgan sought more opportunities to stretch her creative muscles and wanted to find somewhere to do performances when someone mentioned the Brunel Shopping Centre. 

Morgan has received grants from the arts council to support her endeavours and continues to apply for further funding to support her creative aspirations in the local community. She discusses with Fiona her plans for growing in the music industry and for becoming more visible online. 

You can connect with Morgan via her Instagram handle @denim_morgan or via 

@northstarnewwavesc for more information.

To get in touch with Fiona and the Scott Media team, visit www.scottmedia.uk.

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