Transgender model Talulah-Eve: School bullying was ‘traumatising’

Talulah-Eve was the first transgender woman to compete in Britain’s Next Top Model—but before she became a famous model she experienced “traumatising” school bullying.

From school bullying in PE lessons to being harassed in the street with slurs like “batty boy,” she says growing up as a closeted transgender woman was often “traumatising.”

PinkNews met with Talulah-Eve to talk about how she overcame the school bullies.

Watch the video below to see Talulah-Eve share her school bullying experiences and tips for how to cope:

The model explained she suffered a lot from school bullying, including before transitioning or coming out as trans woman.

“I obviously had to do PE with the boys, we used to do things like rugby and football, which was very traumatising for me,” she explained.

“I remember one time, the boys put my clothes in the shower. I came back from peeing and all my clothes were wet.”

Before coming out as transgender, school bullies often called her gay, leading to her using a label that wasn’t truly her.

“I gave in to the rebels at school,” she explained. “I banged a label on myself that wasn’t truly me.”

“When I left high school and I started experimenting with who I was and I started presenting myself as female, everyone in my area and my town started gossiping about me,” she said.

“Guys, for a joke, would come and smack my bum in the street.

“People would take pictures of me and post it on social media and be like: ‘Oh my gosh, look at him, the batty man, trying to be a girl.’

“There’s no filter and people will go as far as they can go to vent that anger and to try and hurt you.”

How to deal with school bullying

Talulah-Eve also shared her tips to on how to cope with school bullying and trolls online.

“Normally, I’d just say to block the person, delete the comment, block them,” she explained.

I’d say to my bullies right now if I had them in front of me: Look at me now.

“They are so irrelevant in your life—if they are not serving you in positive energy, then it’s not relevant to your life.”

Recognising that school will not last forever and you will rise above them is key, she added.

“I’d say to my bullies right now if I had them in front of me: Look at me now.

“These people want to feel better about themselves so they’ll put other people down.

“But the thing to remember is: We are normal women and we can do what other normal women do.”

How to be a LGBT ally

The model also talked about how people can be better allies for the LGBT+ community and what it meant for her.

She said: “If someone is being mean to somebody on the tube or down the street, that’s LGBT, then call them out.

“And, if you can tell that somebody like a friend or even a stranger is having a tough time, you know, be there for them.

“It’s always nice to have somebody to talk to.”