Jamie Trott
After graduating from Cambridge University and training at RADA in Stage Management and Film Production, Jamie worked in London’s West End and film industry. He now teaches at a secondary school in Brighton.
Jamie volunteers as a helpline listener for the Brighton and Hove LGBT Switchboard and is also a member of several local LGBTQ+ sports and outdoor groups.
What does your identity mean to you?
At school, I was bullied and refused to ‘come out’ when pressured by my peers: I didn’t want to satisfy their hunger to ‘make’ me feel different. For me, I didn’t want to give them the power that they were ‘right’ in labelling me as gay – before I’d even had a chance to accept that for myself.
Section 28 stole my sense of belonging and safety. As a result of growing up under that regime, I had to deal with a lot of internalised homophobia and battle with myself to accept that being gay wasn’t ‘dirty’.
I lost my partner to suicide and this shaped how I view the world. This is why understanding who I am and being part of this community is so important to me.
I am proud of who I am. I am open about who I am at school and refuse to allow any child to feel insecure about who they are. Identity comes from a sense of belonging: from a culture of warmth and no judgement.
My identity is who I am as a person and shouldn’t be based on who I love.