I have a lot of things to say but not enough words to say them. All I know is that being kind is not difficult, but this world sometimes makes it seem that way. I have loved my partner for 9 years now (longer if you count the 4 years of friendship before that) and I have watched our relationship grow and blossom into something more magical than any love story. I loved him before he came out, I love the man he has become and I will love the person he is still growing into. This is my protest; to love my trans and disabled partner louder than any of the hatred being thrown around in the world right now. When he first came out to me when we were 17, I thought that the world would become a better, safer and more accepting place. But instead it has become more hostile and so much more terrifying. And I think that, deep-down, I know that no amount of love will ever be enough to protect him from the supposed 'debates' and anti-trans rhetoric being poured into the world by people who are too blinded by their own anger and mis-placed hatred.

So, my other way of raging against all this hatred is to give to charity. I’ve never done any type of fundraising before, but I’m taking part in Miles for Mermaids this March. Mermaids is a wonderful charity who are helping to support young transgender and gender non-conforming kids throughout their transition. The first step in anyone's transition (whether or not they are looking into hormones and surgery) is to talk to someone. Mermaids help to create this safe space for young trans kids and also offer support to their families. If my partner had known about their services when he was a teenager, I think he probably would have come to Mermaids for support. So I'm fundraising to ensure that young trans people and their families can continue to access the emotional, informative and peer-to-peer support they deserve and so that this charity's potentially life-saving services remain open and available for anyone who (like my partner) might need them.

The government has failed transgender people time and time again: people are suffering at the hands of some 10-year-long waiting lists for gender affirming care; violence and suicide rates are constantly increasing; and to top it all off, our prime minister is adding fuel to this blazing fire which threatens the lives and rights of people who simply wish to exist in peace.

So if you are able to donate any amount of money, I would be incredibly grateful. I’m going to try and do little updates on my walks throughout March on both my JustGiving page and my Instagram stories. I have chosen 50 miles to challenge myself as I'll be going for longer walks than I am typically used to. So, whether you're just here to give a little bit of money, or to follow along on this journey, I want to say a massive thank you. And to everyone else taking part, good luck!