“Things do get better”

Jordan Chan is a Director of Swale Pride and a Mr Gay Great Britain finalist. Steven met Jordan at Taze in Chatham, where he had delightful baklava and possibly the worst cup of tea. Whilst there, they spoke about Jordan's experiences of violent bullying growing up in Sheppey, his time as an underwear model, why he is supporting the launch of Trans Pride Kent, and why he was concerned about taking part in this interview...

What is your official occupation? 
I'm an operations manager for an insurance company. 

Do you have any additional roles, paid or unpaid?
I'm a director of Swale Pride. I am the founder of Queer Kent Life. I'm now a director of Trans Pride Kent. And I'm the LGBT ambassador for Kent Cricket.

What is Trans Pride Kent?
Trans Pride Kent is a grassroots pride that Shea and Sarah [Coffey of Rainbows Over Medway] founded to provide networking services, vital healthcare, legal services and support to the trans community of Kent. It covers the whole county, which I believe is the only trans pride that covers an entire county rather than a city. With Reform taking over Kent County Council, and the constant attacks on the LGBT community and more so on the trans community, it's a vital safe space for people to get together, support one another and show their support and solidarity for allies and the wider LGBT community.

What will be happening at Trans Pride Kent?
At Trans Pride Kent, we have guest speakers, we have acts, we have stalls that again are around healthcare, legal advice and support and services to the trans community and wider LGBTQ plus. 

When and where will this be happening? 
This is on the 28th of March, Saturday, at Westgate Hall in Canterbury.

Why are you so heavily involved when you yourself are not trans? 
I met Shea and Hilary [Cooke of Medway Pride] when I was doing Gay Great Britain. To be honest, I was quite ignorant of what the trans community were subject to. I spoke about this in Gay Great Britain when I was being interviewed. It's weird for me to say that as a gay man, I almost have a certain level of privilege. When I go out, I can blend and almost not get as much hate, because I'm not trans, and I didn't realise quite how that was going on until I spent more time with Shea and Hilary, and I heard their stories and saw the interviews that they had done. I was quite ignorant. I educated myself and wanted to help, and the more I got involved in Swale Pride and the more time I spent with the trans community through the Gay Great Britain competition, when I worked with other prides and wider communities. Part of my Gay Great Britain campaign was heavily around the trans community, speaking out in all the interviews. One of the runways that I'd done was trans-related. I had a custom-made sequin suit in the trans flag colours, just to support really. I want to stand up for people that are underrepresented or under fire. Everyone should just be able to live authentically themselves, and they shouldn't have to deal with the hate that they get just for being... It doesn't make sense to me, and that's why I just wanted to be a supporter and basically do as much as I can.

There was nobody that I could look up to, nobody visible locally that I could see myself in

Why is there a need for Swale Pride?
Growing up as a kid, I was severely bullied for being mixed race. I had my windows bricked, I had my parents’ car paint stripped and bricked, my house was egged. I have been glassed four times. I've got scars all over my body from where I was beaten, kicked, glassed and punched. It was horrific. I was taken out of school for six months because the school couldn't guarantee me and my brother's safety. We were home schooled, and I wasn't even out as gay then. I think people had a field day with me just being mixed race. We had spray paint saying that we needed to be strung up and killed. It was horrific. My childhood was not great. And this wasn't just kids, these were parents as well. These were people that had full-time jobs, shouting racial abuse to me and my brother. These were our neighbours. It was horrendous. I didn't come out as gay until I was 18. Then I got a whole new level of hate from people for being gay.
I thought there needs to be something here in Swale. I didn't join Swale Pride until 2022. It took me a long time. But as I've got older and more confident in myself, I just wanted to help. When I was growing up, there was nobody that I could look up to, nobody visible locally that I could see myself in, and I think that visibility is so important. Representation is so important. An offer was extended for me to join the committee, I took it. I started supporting Swale Pride, doing events and their parade. Then, after about a year or two, they asked me if I wanted to become director. I accepted and have been ever since. I just wanted to show kids that there are people out there like them. Things do get better. They might be going through a horrendous time at the moment, but when they do leave school, when they find themselves, when they become adults and can live their lives how they want, it does get better. That's what I want to try and represent as a leader of Swale Pride. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.