Volunteers Week Scotland: Zy

I’m Zy and my preferred pronouns are they/them. I’m a PhD researcher at the University of Glasgow, and my PhD project focuses on creating safe and inclusive spaces for LGBT+ people in higher education.

How did you find out about LGBT Health and Wellbeing first and what was your journey to then becoming a volunteer?

I first found out about LGBT Health and Wellbeing through a friend that I had met when I had done my Masters in Glasgow in 2013. She sent me a link to the website and that was my first introduction to the organisation. But when I finally came back to Glasgow in 2018 to do my PhD, it was my partner who actually encouraged me to go to one of the events. I remember the first event I went to was actually a free session at the Cat Café in Glasgow, my partner loves cats so she encouraged me to go and I did. After the Cat Café event, I realised I enjoyed going to these LGBT+ events so I kept going, made friends, and became a regular attendee. Eventually when the organisation launched the call for the See Me Proud Community Champions I applied for that and it was my first volunteer role at LGBT Health and Wellbeing. Then after some time, there was a call for new Board members which I decided to apply to and so I’ve recently joined the organisation as one of the Trustees.

Can you tell us a little bit more about your role?

As Trustees we talk a lot about the strategic and admin side of running the organisation. I’m still quite new to the Board so I’m getting used to the role whereas I’ve been one of the See Me Proud Community Champions for much longer and in this role, we organise different activities to challenge mental health stigma within the LGBT+ community.

What are you the most proud of as a volunteer?

What I’m the most proud of as a volunteer is really just being part of the community, making connections, sharing and hearing other people’s stories. What I really appreciate about this space is that we all have a shared experience when it comes to stigma and discrimination. But even though we have that shared experience, we all have different stories and it’s great to be a part of that dynamic of hearing other people’s stories whilst getting to share your own. For me, it’s really like having a second family and being able to contribute to that family is something I’m really proud of.

What would you like to achieve as a volunteer?

When I started as an attendee, I found the organisation to be such a safe and supportive space. So now as a volunteer what I would like to do is to be able to reach out to more LGBT+ people. I want to help create and provide a safe space for them, to remind them that they are accepted, loved, appreciated and to let them know that it’s normal to be who they are even though our current society unfortunately can make us feel otherwise. So I’d like to focus on creating that safe and supportive space for all LGBT+ people.

What would you like to change for the community?

Ideally, I would want there to be LGBT+ equality globally. I want to get rid of anti-LGBT+ prejudice and discrimination, and for there to be no more need for LGBT+ safe spaces because all spaces would be safe spaces, and welcoming to all LGBT+ people.

Do you have a role model? Someone that inspires you?

The first person that comes to mind is actually a friend of mine, Eric Manalastas. One of the reasons he’s one of my role models is that to me and I think it would be fair to say to a lot of people in the Philippines, he paved the way for LGBT+ psychology in the Philippines. He’s one of co-founders of the Psychological Association of the Philippines LGBT Psychology Special Interest Group. This group was instrumental in my personal and professional development as an LGBT+ person and LGBT+ researcher. Eric has always been supportive and encouraging towards me. One of the things I remember him telling me is to create the things that you wish existed and to be the person that you wish you had or needed as a kid. And I guess volunteering with LGBT Health and Wellbeing is one of the ways I’m doing this. One of the reasons I applied to be a See Me Proud Champion to begin with, and why I decided to join the Board as well, is because when I was a kid, I wish there were LGBT+ champions and organisations like LGBT Health and Wellbeing. So, my friend Eric inspired me to create things I wish existed or to be someone I wish I had when I was a kid.