Blackpool Renaissance trans support group
A long-running trans peer support group meeting twice a month at a Dickson Road guesthouse, open to trans people, partners and allies.
Bigender people in Blackpool
What bigender means, how it differs from gender-fluid and bisexual, and who welcomes you.
Bigender people have two genders. They may feel both at once, or move between the two. The two genders are often male and female, but not always: one might be non-binary. Bigender is part of the non-binary umbrella. Gendered Intelligence describes it as having two gender identities or expressions, at the same time, at different times, or in different situations, and each bigender person describes their experience in their own way.
How it differs
- Gender-fluid people's gender changes, possibly through many genders. Bigender people have two particular genders. See gender-fluid.
- Bisexual is about attraction, not gender. A bigender person can be gay, straight, bi or anything else. See bisexual.
- Cross-dressing is about clothes. Some bigender people express their genders through clothing; many cross-dressers are not bigender. See cross-dressers.
Groups in Blackpool
Groups in Blackpool are mostly organised around how you present, so bigender people can often choose, or attend more than one.
TransInclusion
A free, monthly peer-led group in Blackpool for trans women and feminine gender-diverse people.
Lancashire Lads
A monthly peer support evening exclusively for trans men, held at the Horizon centre on Dickson Road.
Lancashire LGBT Women and Non-Binary Group
A free monthly online group from the county LGBTQ+ charity for lesbian, bi, trans and queer women and femme non-binary people.
- Renaissance has always welcomed people who move between genders, including people who present differently from one meeting to the next.
- TransInclusion is for feminine gender-diverse people; Lancashire Lads for trans men.
- Lancashire LGBT's online groups are split femme and masc.
Health and advice
Gender Outreach drop-in, Blackpool
A free monthly lunchtime drop-in at Blackpool Central Library for people on, waiting for or considering the gender identity clinic pathway.
The Phoenix Clinic
A monthly NHS sexual and reproductive health clinic just for trans and gender-diverse people, held in Blackpool and Preston.
Switchboard LGBT+ Helpline
A free national listening and information line, by phone, chat and email, staffed by LGBTQIA+ volunteers.
Blackpool's long tradition
Blackpool's stages have celebrated people moving between genders for more than a century, from music-hall male impersonators to comic dames. That history is about performance, not identity, but it helps explain why the town has always been relaxed about it. See the Blackpool drag tradition.
Your rights
UK law recognises only male and female as legal genders. For the case law that protects non-binary people at work, see UK law.
Several bigender flag designs are in use.
Sources
Trans and gender identity: more pages
TransgenderPeer groups, the gender outreach drop-in, the Phoenix Clinic, trans-friendly stays, history and UK law.Trans menLancashire Lads, trans-masc support online, the Phoenix Clinic, welcoming venues and history.Trans womenTransInclusion and Renaissance, the Phoenix Clinic, trans-friendly stays and nights out.Non-binaryWhat non-binary means, local groups and clinics, unisex spaces and your rights in the UK.Gender-fluidWhat gender-fluid means, practical tips, groups that welcome you and your rights.AgenderWhat agender means, how it differs from asexual, and the groups and spaces open to you.AndrogynousAndrogyny as identity and as style, Blackpool's gender-bending stage history, and welcoming places.Gender-nonconformingWhat gender-nonconforming means, how it differs from trans, practical tips and support.Two-SpiritWhat Two-Spirit means, where it comes from, and the Canadian MMIWG2SLGBTQQIA+ term.Third gender and cultural identitiesHijra, fa'afafine, muxe and more: third genders around the world, UK law, and faith and culture support.Every identityThe full list, the long acronyms and UK law.