My Husband and I watched the documentary in total admiration for your strength and determination to do what is obviously right for your life. Having lived in the Army environment for more that 15 years we probably feel the sadness more than non serving people. The friends you make whilst serving in the Army are worth their weight in gold and we could not beleive that the small mindedness of your friends and colleagues had forced them to turn their backs on you. Shame on them.
Of course not everyone in the Army feel the way they do. Your story moved us so much and we really hope that you win your battle for unfair dismissal. We truly hope your future is bright and you can finally live the life that you have forever longed for.
All our Love x

As someone who has always been happy in her gender (though not always in her skin)I cannot say I know what Jan has gone through. What I do know is that I would be proud to be her friend as she is so brave. I cannot comprehend the mentality of those once close to her turning their backs. She is still a human being , and now in need of their love and support more than ever. I hope your actions bring you the peace and contentment you seek Jan and just know there are lots of people out there who admire you and wish you all the best.

Dear Jan, I salute you for fighting to be the woman you always were. Sadly, too many people don't make it. Having also been born with chronic gender dysphoria and undergone recent gender reassignment, I share your true post operative happiness as a woman. To have known you, especially during our most desperate times, would have been so lovely. Upon diagnosis, I thought I was the only person in this terrible situation in my region. I too experienced horrible discrimination and parental rejection. May our parents soon graciously love us as their daughters, even as we love them as our parents. Life is so very lonely. I'd love to make your aquaintance, but don't know how to. Love, hugs & prayers xxx

Just wanted to say that Jan was fabulous! Also,she should not under estimate the profound effect that the sexual abuse had on her-she was not complicit,the other person was an adult and should have known it was wrong-I speak from bitter experience.Keep going,Jan !!

Never posted on a forum before but was so overwhelmed by Thursday night's documentry - it was astounding. Jan, you have been on an incredible journey to become the woman you have always known you were. A sensitive, brave and highly emotional account of your unwavering conviction. Thank you for having the courage to share this. You certainly stood by your motto "Utrinque Paratus" meaning Ready for Anything; weren't you just.

I cried when you woken up in the hospital room with what seemed like only the camera (and Jane Preston) as your friend. However, there really are many more friends out there because of this now and to those who have seemingly turned their backs on you, SHAME ON YOU..!! please get in touch with Jan, especially Mr & Mrs Hamilton senior.

Hope the postings here are giving you unconditionally the love and respect you deserve. Wishing you much happiness from a North East "quine" in Aberdeen.

If you want to help Jan and others like us who face daily discrimination simply because we are trans there are a number of steps that YOU can take:

1. write to your MPs and ask them to contact Jack Straw and ask why the law allows for greater punishment for hate crimes based on someone’s race, faith, sexual orientation – but not because they are transgendered? If I’m attacked because I’m thought to be lesbian – then the magistrates can take account of “aggravating factors” and increase the punishment; if the attack is based on being transsexual – the can’t. Does this make sense to you?

Trans people are 22 times more likely to be murdered worldwide than the average person. We are also far more likely to face verbal and physical abuse including stones etc through your windows, being attacked on your own doorstep even being fire bombed. This isn’t anecdotal I know the individuals. I also know the parents of a transwoman who was raped.

Whys aren’t these crimes treated the same as other hate crime? Why aren’t the offenders punished to the same extent as if the crime was on the grounds of race, religion or sexual orientation? Why is it less of a crime to attack us?

2. ask your MP ask why some forms of bullying are to be specifically outlawed in schools – but not bullying because someone is transgendered. If, as is claimed, other legislation covers bullying on the grounds of being transgendered and specific legislation is not required – then why does this not also cover race, faith & sexual orientation? If they need to be specifically outlawed – why isn’t transgender dealt with in the same way?

The vast majority of trans people are bullied at school. In some cases we just come over as being different – not necessarily transgendered.

3. ask your MP to ask why the Equality Act 2006 lists 7 groups that need specific protection against discrimination – yet Trevor Philips, the Chair of the Commission for Equality and Human Rights only speaks of 6 strands – and the website only lists 6.

4. Ask, too, why there is no commissioner from the trans community on the CEHR – yet the General Secretary of the Evangelical Alliance, which was one of the leading campaigners against the Gender Recognition Act IS a commissioner. Ask if the fact that Gender Reassignment is not mentioned by CEHR is linked to this appointment.

5. Ask WHEN the government is going to implement the European Directive that should give transgendered individuals protection against discrimination in the provision of Goods and Services. At the moment, if Jan (or any of us) were to go into a shop or pub or hotel, the staff COULD refuse to serve us because we are transsexual. The UK government were directed by the EU to correct this by 21st December 2007. It didn’t. There IS a statutory instrument in front of parliament now to implement the change – but this now appears to remove the protection we currently have in education and vocational training! Please ask “Why”?

Thanks!

Thanks for all your comments, both here and to those of you who contacted Channel 4 following the programme. Jan Hamilton has been so touched by the sentiments that she has penned this response.

This programme received more appreciative comments than any other programme in March. See Cheers & grumbles for details.

PS (24-04-08) Also see the Cutting Edge editor’s blog, as he reflects on the series as a whole and asks for your feedback.