Caregiver Blog, Edward Whitehead
What does it mean to care and what it means to be part of the community, (LGBTQXI+) has always felt very similar to me. Being in the community allows us to be heard by people who respect us, care for us and importantly love us, and want the best for us. Working together to get the best possible standard for all.
This has always been the way I’ve viewed my role as home care staff, giving someone that sense of community that they may have been missing, promoting and helping them step back into society, it’s often the most rewarding part of the job, seeing a client make an improvement no matter the size or significance any step is a great step when recovering.
As part of the LGBTQXI+ community, I have been extremely fortunate to be allowed to be exactly who I am without fear of abuse in most cases however, it does happen irregularly! We live in an ever-evolving and changing society and it can shift in a matter of hours to days when we evolve as the human race and as a community itself. The importance of history and pride month is to remember those who lost battles with AIDS/HIV, or due to systematic or gay/trans abuse. I have always taken time to reflect back on to the events of the stonewalls riots in 1969, where countless members were victims to the storming of many gay/trans and queer social clubs and bars, as a memento and reminder of just how lucky we are to have been born into a generation where abuse does not go unnoticed or most importantly unchallenged, although at certain times it may occur, but it is not often, even in the last 10 years the level is dramatically lower.
Working For Visiting Angels
Sometimes it is easy to suppress such as I do with myself my gender identity especially in a professional working environment however, I am transgender (male to a female) and I am immensely proud to say that I am, and I am just as glad to be in a company who asks for the employees’ opinion and values the significance of history months for all identities, sexualities, races, and ethnicities.
I am proud to be trans
I am proud to be a carer
And even prouder to be a Visiting Angel
WE ARE ONE COMMUNITY TOGETHER AT HOME!
