Is the University of Aberdeen safe/friendly for trans people?

Hi, I'm a trans woman who wants to study Theology at Aberdeen in September this year. I love the course and the uni, but I come from a really trans friendly city (Norwich) and I'm slightly nervous that Aberdeen might not be as good for trans people.

Are there any trans people studying at Aberdeen right now that can give me their thoughts?

Reply 1

UoA Enquiry Team

Official Rep

Original post by VictorianEvelyn

Hi, I'm a trans woman who wants to study Theology at Aberdeen in September this year. I love the course and the uni, but I come from a really trans friendly city (Norwich) and I'm slightly nervous that Aberdeen might not be as good for trans people.
Are there any trans people studying at Aberdeen right now that can give me their thoughts?

Hi, this is the University of Aberdeen rep account. Thank you for posting your question! So for context I studied at the university a few years ago and work there now, but I'm queer myself and had trans and nonbinary friends while at uni and so hopefully I can provide you a bit of insight.

First of all I'll try to provide some groups in Aberdeen who may be able to get you more of a first hand account. We have the Liberation Forums which are part of the Student Union and aim to ensure that marginalised groups have a voice and feel represented within the university. You can find more information on them here: https://www.ausa.org.uk/representation/liberation/
There is also a Trans Students' Forum which it might be worth reaching out to so you can ask more questions and get a better picture of living here: https://www.abdn.ac.uk/staffnet/working-here/edi/lgbtq/#panel45422

Four Pillars is an organisation which has been supporting the queer community, particularly young people, in Aberdeen and North East for many years: https://www.fourpillarsuk.org/
In amongst a host of different support events and spaces they provide, they also organise Grampian Pride which has been growing year on year: https://www.fourpillarsuk.org/grampianpride-2022/
Just wanted to include them in case you wanted to contact a non-uni organisation. It's also very fair to be thinking of Aberdeen as the grey frozen north and that there may be more bigotry here because of that but I really wouldn't say that's the case. We're also one of the safest student cities in the UK if that's helpful to know.

Unfortunately and unavoidably, Aberdeen does have transphobic individuals and groups as is the case across the UK right now. Just this last weekend for International Women's Day there was a protest outside Marishal College in the city centre. But, encouragingly, there was a significant counter protest which folk I know have said had a far larger turnout than the original group. The Forum posted a bit about it on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aberdeenunilgbtq/
I would say there is a strong queer community in Aberdeen, particularly around the uni, and that it's not something to be particularly worried about for moving here. I can imagine this is a big worry ahead of moving away from home but I hope this is reassuring and that getting in contact with the groups above can get you a better picture of what it might be like living here.

Thanks for reading and hope this helps! If you have any more questions about Aberdeen and studying here in the main, or more direction on who you can contact about things, please do just ask.

- Matthew, Enquiry Team