Julie Miller

Like all trans-people Julie Miller has been transgender all her life, but for many years and due to fear of abuse, ridicule and victimisation, she hid her gender identity behind a facade of stereotypical manliness.  But in recent times she has decided, for the sake of maintaining her positive mental health, to present her gender as she feel most comfortable. Julie is a trans woman and presents herself as a stereotypical woman as often as possible. But it is not easy in our transphobic society and frequently she alters her gender presentation to that of a stereotypical man just to maintain some of the essential needs in life, like a home, an income, friendships and relationships, a reasonable standard of living, and to walk the streets without fear of being stared or laughed at, and verbally and physically abused (all of which she has experienced to some degree over many decades).

Julie’s presentational skills have been honed during a 25-year army career, including the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst and Army Staff College. World renowned for producing the best military commanders. She now uses her skills to “command” an audience, and deliver a well-polished flagship presentation called the “Bluffers Guide to Transgender”, a “light-hearted gallivant through the wonderful world of transgender in a memorable learning experience”.

For several decades, and in places where no one would recognise her, Julie exercised her right to wear clothes that most reflected the person that she is, and she would go out and about in her favourite skirts. Julie endured constant abuse and ridicule, from “white van man” occupants yelling “Oi mate, what’s up your skirt”, to women who would walk up to her and ask directly “why are you wearing a skirt mate?” Some would take it upon themselves to lift up her skirt to take a peek underneath. All these encounters would nowadays be regarded as transphobic and unacceptable, and it is a reflection of how much Society has changed for the better in recent years.