Today is a day for honouring womanhood and celebrating the uniqueness of every woman’s story.
As we celebrate this International Women’s Day, many of us have been asking what it means to be a woman.
“The word I use to describe womanhood would be euphoric,” said Kate Lankester from Ipswich, 23.
“Womanhood makes us strong, independent, wonderful people.”
Kate is an actress and the media officer for Suffolk Pride. She is also transgender, and keen to share her own experience of womanhood, and the unique path that led her there.
Born and bred in Ipswich, Kate moved away to Colchester at 16 to train in musical theatre, before moving to Surrey to continue her theatre studies.
Kate came to the realisation that she was trans in 2020.
“It was always there, but it was underlying,” she explained.
“I spent a year debating whether or not I would transition, because of the industry I was working in. Until then, I was on course to play those leading male roles in the West End.
“I had to ask myself, do I stay as I am, for the sake of my career? Or do I transition, for the sake of my happiness?”
- READ MORE - Suffolk Pride co-chair Ellena Woolf says Ipswich is 'quietly supportive' of trans people
Ultimately, Kate knew that she needed to transition. She therefore began the process of coming out to her partner, friends and family.
“I am very privileged to have the support of my family, and my partner,” Kate said. “My parents wanted to protect me, as all parents do. They were concerned for my safety, and how I could live in society and get work.”
Kate's parents supported her decision to transition, as did her partner. Kate's grandparents are also learning to navigate new ideas of queerness and gender identity with their granddaughter’s help.
This validation from the people she loved the most has meant everything to Kate.
For a time, Kate had been fluid in the way she presented her gender. However, the point when she began to truly feel accepted as a woman was when she began using she/her pronouns in 2021.
“In public, when somebody uses your correct pronouns, it feels amazing,” Kate said.
“It can make my day. Just as if you are trans or nonbinary and somebody misgenders you, it can ruin your day.”
However, she was understanding when people struggled with it at the beginning of her transition, as it can take time for people to “retrain their brains”.
The gradual changes to her body also add to the euphoria of womanhood Kate feels.
“My body is changing before my eyes,” she said. “To see my curves develop is so affirming.
“They are not fake. They are my own. The same goes for growing my hair out.
“These are all mini celebrations.”
Now having returned to Ipswich and joined Suffolk Pride, Kate hopes that the group can help to nurture and build a budding community for LGBTQ+ people in the town.
“Ipswich has so much potential,” she said. “Through Pride, I have met so many different people, gender diverse and queer people, and our allies.”
She hopes, in time, for more queer spaces in Ipswich and that a sense of camaraderie can be found between transgender and cisgender women.
“I desperately want transgender womanhood and womanhood to be seen as the same thing,” she said.
“One woman’s experience does not invalidate another woman’s experience. I would love for us to be able to coexist and live as one.
“We can get closer to this by sharing stories and experiences of how womanhood makes us strong, independent, wonderful people.”
Last year, Suffolk Pride met with the Ipswich mayor to discuss how the annual march could be county's biggest Pride yet.
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