Lynne Jones – May 2025

This research became my magnum opus
Walked into my strength where I once felt hopeless
It started when I met the gender-neutral pup
Then advocacy, open mic and stand up 

Prima materia secured ethically by interview
Linguistic alchemy, something I had no idea I could do
And as my hair turns 50 shades of grey
I’m no longer afraid of what others say 

So, if you need a gender affirming therapist, give me a whirl
I’m a cisgendered, unconditional, possible girl. 

I didn’t know at the start
I’d synthesise stories that would break my heart
A cisgendered counsellor’s creation for you
To bring kink-aware therapy into view 

It’s not “what do I need to KNOW so you can talk to me?”
More about what YOU need to see
Of our shared imperfect humanity
So that you feel SAFE to be seen authentically. 

See me advocate for social justice
For the gender diverse that walk amongst us
Using heuristic inquiry to support social change
For the disenfranchised and estranged 

Call out stigma, shame and kink phobia
A 30-year-old echo calling out homophobia
Through the process of tacit knowing
My voice and power growing  

Unveiling and illuminating the mystery
Of my sexuality and gender history,
Becoming personally and professionally seen
As LGBTQ.  Which I’ve always been. 

And start conversations about non-binary bodies
Not as inferior cisgendered copies
Zoological exhibit or oddity
Rather brave and beautiful people with dignity  

Make NOW a parallel universe
Where there’s affirming counselling for the kinky and the gender diverse.
It’s back to basics. It’s not hard!
Unconditional positive regard! 

(Natural break)

Meet different people so you grow
It’s at the margins of the margins that we know
What difference really means.
Stand up.  Take a look at Manchester’s BDSM scene. 

Read Moustakas Douglas and Sultan
And support a conversion ban.
And when you start to explicate
Experience of marginalisation, restrictions and hate 

Where you stay to indwell, stories are formed to share and tell
and as you move away to incubate
Fresh insights rise on how ideas relate
And if in your privileged life you don’t notice
Vulnerability in the asylum process
Christian nor spiritual abuse
Mental health or substance misuse
Gender clinic waiting lists
Extortionate surgical price lists
Relationship OCD
Neurodiversity and ADHD  

What power exchange looks like done badly
When we have sex differently
And your body doesn’t fit a binary
How do you learn to live happily?

Ask, “what’s school Like when you’re gender diverse?”
Or when your sex life is condemned as perverse? 

Highlighting not every therapist will be for you
Or comprehend the things you do
And when Hanisch said “the personal is political”
I’ll question counsellors that are gender critical 

When clients are met with disgust
Then the counselling profession becomes unjust
A dangerous abuse of professional trust. 

Unsafe for the disenfranchised, estranged or anatomically rearranged.  

And if I focus on social and legal oppression
I’ll spiral into fear and depression
So, let’s turn to Love, happiness and joy
Reflect on your own gender history 

And in our shared humanity
Encouraging the brave beautiful and resilient
Let’s walk into our power and be brilliant.

And when the world becomes more dangerous overnight
Advocate loudly for transgender rights.