She is a transgender paramedic and patients reject her: “They spit on me and ask me what I am”

The transphobia it is the fear, hatred, distrust, discomfort or non-acceptance of transgender people, considered transgender or whose gender expression does not conform to traditional gender roles.

So feels 53-year-old Steph Meech, one of Britain’s first transgender paramedics, who says patients refuse his helpthey spit it out and often ask “What are you?” when he shows up in front of them for a health emergency.

Steph Meech has been a paramedic for 20 years and hasn’t stopped verbal and physical abuse since he came out as transgender, according to the Daily mail.

Meech is from Polegate, East Sussex, and said the abuse “wasn’t good”. And she added, “First of all I’m a paramedic” and that his role is to help. “I’ve had moments where I treat people and they spit on me, just for who I am,” she told the BBC.

“When I get to the door they usually tell me what you are?”. He works for the South East Coast Ambulance Service (Secamb), covering Kent, Sussex and Surrey.

Although she stated that most of the patients treat her well and appreciate the help of the ambulance service. “There is a minority that ruins everything for everyone,” she added. “When I get out of these accidents, I really end up getting hurt.”

According to British media, Meech is one of the leaders of the emergency health team and, beyond her job, is an active advocate for diversity among Secamb teams, as part of her campaign to put fear behind her.

“Since I came out of the closet, I have been able to be my true self and feel enlightened by the change,” she said.

“This is who I am and I had to keep it hidden for a long time,” he told the BBC.

In March, she celebrated 20 years with Secamb, sharing a photo of herself at the beginning of her career and now. “It may have changed a bit,” she tweeted.

Attacks on ambulance personnel

According to reports published by the Daily Mail, across England there were 11,749 reports of abuse or attacks on ambulance personnel in 2021, a 35% increase from the previous year.

Across the Southeast, reports of violence and assaults on staff increased by 68% between 2019 and 2021.

David Monk, a Violence Reduction Support Officer at Secamb, said people also abuse workers who answer calls.

He said his team is trying to give staff the confidence to come forward and report each incident, to build a better picture of the problem.

Monk said Secamb supports staff if they are abused and sometimes “will take [perpetradores] before the courts when necessary “, working for” the highest possible penalty “.

“It is not acceptable for emergency service workers to come to work and deal with violence,” he told the BBC. “They are normal members of the public like everyone else.”