unblemished
Unblemised: Stories of Stigma and Trans Mental Health is a comic project run by Nat Walpole and Valentine Conlan telling the stories of trans people's experiences of mental health stigma.
Where to read
Unblemished is released every Saturday and can be accessed through the following links:
Feedback
We are collecting feedback / reflective comments from those who have read any or all of Unblemished. Please select the button below to fill out the questionnaire. Thank you!
About Us
Click below to learn more about Nat and Valentine
Participant Information
We are looking for participants for our comic project. Before you take part, it is important to understand the purpose of this project and what that would involve for you. Take the time to read carefully over the following information. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.
What is the purpose of the project?
Unblemished is a project which aims to take stories from trans participants about their mental health stigma they have faced, and turn them into a comic book resource which will be distributed for free.
Who are we inviting to participate?
We want to invite trans people over the age of 18 who are comfortable sharing their experiences of mental health stigma.
We are looking for around 6 participants to share their experiences, and provide feedback as the comic is produced. We are looking for participants with a wide range of experiences, and will select potential participants based on this.
Do I have to take part?
You do not have to take part in this project, and if you decide to withdraw from the project at any time you will still be compensated for your time. If you withdraw from the project, all information you have shared with us will be destroyed.
What will happen if I decide to take part?
If you decide to take part, you will be invited to participate in an hour-long interview where you will discuss your experiences with mental health stigma. Following this, we will be in contact with you frequently, asking for feedback on how the comic looks and if there any changes you would prefer. These changes may include, but are not limited to:
Editing of character designEditing of character nameRemoval/editing of any information givenChanges to the scriptAfter the comic is finished, we will share pages weekly on our Instagram (@unblemishedcomic), and after this will print and distribute physical versions of the comic book.
We will be in contact with you over email up until the comic is finished; a maximum of 6 months.
What are the potential risks of taking part?
The main risk with participation is that sharing experiences of mental health stigma may lead to a resurfacing of negative feelings and emotions associated with such experiences. It is important to note that you will have full control over which aspects of your experience you choose to share during this project, however you may be surprised by the emotional impact of speaking about some of your experiences in this context. Whilst we will be empathetic and try to create a safe environment to share your stories with us, and can direct you to resources you can seek support through, we are not qualified therapists and therefore are not able to offer professional services. This is not a counselling session and if you feel sharing your experiences will take too much of an emotional toll, this project may not be for you.
What are the potential benefits of taking part?
The main benefit is that your experiences will help us create a comic which accurately reflects the experiences of trans people, and can be used as a resource for other trans people, health professionals and the general public to better understand and support the unique struggles trans people have in relation to mental health stigma. We also hope seeing your stories in print will provide a cathartic experience for you.
Will my participation be kept confidential?
This is up to you. If you prefer to remain anonymous, we will take several steps to ensure your confidentiality is protected. To begin with, we will not disclose your identity to any third parties. We will use a pseudonym (chosen by you or us, based on your preference). Secondly, the character designed to tell your story will not represent any physical likeness of you; you will be able to contribute ideas to this design. Any revealing information (specific names of institutions, locations etc.) will be changed or removed to ensure anonymity.
Video recordings of interviews, transcripts and any other information will be saved on a secure server accessible only to the project managers (Valentine Conlan and Nat Walpole). This information will be kept for the duration of the project and destroyed by January 2022.
Will I be compensated for taking part?
You will be compensated a total of £50 for the hour-long interview and any further communications we have with you regarding the project.
Other projects
We have a limit to the number of people who can take part in this project, and we want to try to ensure as great a diversity of voice and experience as possible. If you or the project managers decide this project is not for you, or if you would like to be involved with any other projects supported by See Me Scotland, please sign up for the See Change newsletter here: https://www.seemescotland.org/movement-for-change/sign-up-to-see-change/ or visit the See Me Supporters of the Social Movement Facebook page.
Contact
If, after reading this, you would like to participate in this project or have any questions, please contact [email protected]. If you are interested, please send us an email with the following:
Age:
Gender identity:
Your experiences of mental health: (This can be as vague or as detailed as you want)
Location: (This project is based in Scotland however this does not mean only Scottish participants may be considered)
Any other information you’d like to share:
This information will strictly be used in participation selection, and if you are not asked to continue on with the project this information will be destroyed. We will ensure to reply to everyone who contacts us.
Resources
If you are a trans person struggling with your mental health and this document been difficult to read, below are some resources which may be useful to you:
https://www.lgbthealth.org.ukhttp://genderedintelligence.co.ukhttps://switchboard.lgbt/
Thank you for reading this information and considering taking part.
About us
Nat Walpole (they/them) is a non-binary artist and illustrator based in Glasgow. Their work explores themes queer identity, the self, and experiences of dissidence. Examples of Nat's art can be found here.
Valentine Conlan (they/them; ve/vem) is a non-binary psychology graduate from the University of Glasgow. Ve has experience in qualitative research via interviews, and wrote their dissertation on non-binary genders and attraction.
About See me Scotland
See Me has worked with hundreds of workplaces, thousands of school staff and pupils, health and social care professionals, and people across Scotland to give them the skills to challenge stigma, and help create cultures where people don’t have to worry about the reaction they will get if they talk about mental health.
"Shifting Masks", an A2 risograph comic produced for Glasgow GOMA's Queer Times School Prints project, 2019. (c) Nat Walpole