A Tory MP put out a statement announcing he’s trans at 3 o’clock this morning, and it seems no one’s noticed. Jamie Wallis, the Tory MP for Bridgend elected in 2019, says he was diagnosed with gender dysphoria and has felt this way since he was a young child, and was expecting to “leave politics well before I ever said this out loud”. This means the left will have to contend with the Tories’ progressive equality record now including the UK’s first openly trans MP…
Wallis says the news almost emerged in April 2020 when someone tried blackmailing him for £50,000, outing him to his father and sending photographs to other family members. The perpetrator was sentenced to 2 years and 9 months in prison.
In September Wallis says he “hooked up” with someone from online, who raped Jamie after refused to wear a condom, saying this awful incident caused them to stop being himself and was the cause of the widely-reported car crash on 28th November from which he fled the scene due to PTSD. He apologises for this.
Following the dinner for Tory MPs last night he concludes the remarkable statement:
Tonight, I was reminded of the incredible support those you work with can provide. Also, I was reminded how important it is to be yourself. I have never lived my truth and I’m not sure how. Perhaps it starts with telling everyone..
Congratulations…
UPDATE: Wallis has released another statement thanking everyone for their support, and confirming he will continue using he/him pronouns “for the time being”:
“I wanted to thank everyone for the huge outpouring of support I have received following my previous statement. This is all very new to me. It’s taken a long time for me to come to terms with my gender dysphoria. It is a deeply personal matter and I had hoped to continue to keep this private until after I had finished my term as the Member of Parliament for Bridgend. I am overwhelmed by the kindness and support I have received in the last few hours. I am proud to be completely open and honest about the struggles I have had, and continue to have, with my identity. However, I remain the same person I was yesterday. For the time being, I will continue to present as I always have and will use he/him/his pronouns.”
