This Pride Month, associate Lui Asquith shares perspectives on navigating life as a trans non-binary lawyer, shedding light on their daily challenges as well as their aspirations for meaningful progress within the profession and beyond.
The truth is, being a transgender (trans) non-binary, queer lawyer makes me feel very different from most lawyers every day. Feeling different is not objectively a bad thing (it can be quite the opposite in the right spaces), but there is no denying that there are challenges someone like me faces that I would not have faced but for being trans non-binary.
The general culture within the legal profession – much like wider society – is built from traditions that lean on gender binary mechanisms. It is a fact of my professional life that I don’t fit this original mould and that mould still holds a great deal of power. Navigating social professional spaces can be challenging. In short, I think it takes quite a lot of effort to be trans, non-binary in (and outside of) the legal profession right now.
I don’t say this to create pity and I certainly don’t want to dampen the celebratory nature of Pride Month, but it is important to recognise that there is still much to do. June as a month will see rainbow flags and statements of allyship splattered across socials and websites. I really love seeing this; it’s wonderful to see my community being celebrated by so many people and organisations.
My only ask is for those doing so to meaningfully engage in consultation with their trans staff and create informed, internal cultural progress. Listening is key. A good example is that when I arrived at Russell-Cooke they did not have a pronouns email signature option – I asked for one and this was implemented quickly and smoothly. Firms should be asking if they are doing everything they can. Some examples of initiatives that can be carried out: ensuring there are gender neutral facilities in all offices, mandatory trans inclusion training commissioned, optional wellbeing check-ins with trans staff … the list goes on.
Pride Month allows us to imagine a future profession that fully integrates lawyers like me. More broadly, I am looking to a future that is safe for people like me whilst I - like many of members of my community - carry a genuine, growing fear for my physical safety and the risk of losing some of my basic rights. We need to prevent regression and create a progressive future for trans people. I believe very strongly in the power of presence – just being somewhere and existing is no small thing.
This Pride I want to remind all that LGBT+ lawyers exist, including trans lawyers. I am proud to be one of them. Happy Pride to you all!
Lui Asquith is an associate in the regulation and public law team, advising both claimants and defendants on all aspects of public law and regulatory matters, with a focus on judicial review. They have a particular interest in public interest litigation including cases touching on issues concerning human rights law, government policies and environmental justice; and judicial reviews and discrimination claims.
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