Laura Hughes (she/her)
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lauralhughes.bsky.social
Laura Hughes (she/her)
@lauralhughes.bsky.social
140 followers 69 following 93 posts
Passionate about LGBTQIA+ (particularly trans & ace) suicide prevention. Lived experience. Rescue dog mom. Whovian. Pianist. Ace. Not the most active on here. Views my own. 🇵🇸🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈
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lauralhughes.bsky.social
Listening to my new Bells Larsen CD this morning. All the songs sound like duets, but they’re actually the same person singing at different stages of their life: one before the vocal changes from taking testosterone, one after. Such magical trans music. Queerness is beautiful. 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈
A photo of the Bells Larsen ‘Blurring Time’ CD album.
May 24, 2025 at 9:20 AM
lauralhughes.bsky.social
I was honoured to speak on behalf of @harmlessuk.bsky.social at Nottingham’s trans rights protest today. My speech can be read below. (Alt. text available)

Over 500 people all coming together in anger, hope, and solidarity for our trans community. Trans rights are human rights. 🏳️‍⚧️
A photo of the Nottingham trans rights protest. My sign reads ‘in a world that tries to erase you, the bravest thing to do is carry on existing.” My name is Laura, I’m the self-harm and suicide intervention service lead at Harmless and The Tomorrow Project: a suicide prevention service here in Nottingham. I won’t talk for long, because trans voices need to take centre-stage, but I want to speak directly to the trans people of Nottingham. Trans lived experiences of mental health and suicide have been invalidated and erased by people who should know better. So understandably, I know that makes it even more difficult to know who to trust and to reach out for help when struggling. So today, I want to assure you, as service lead, that Harmless understands the nuanced experiences that trans people have when it comes to self-harm, and suicide. We aren’t connected to any of your other records, so the name you tell us, is the name we will use for you. The gender you tell us, is the gender we will record for you. Trans women are women, so will be represented and supported as such. The pronouns you tell us, are the pronouns we will use for you. Your notes and your treatment will be entirely accepting and validating of your trans identity. All of that is the bare minimum. Acceptance and support for trans people is suicide prevention. Equal rights for trans people is suicide prevention. Gender-affirming healthcare is suicide prevention. And anyone who says otherwise, is directly ignoring and erasing trans lived experiences. And that is indefensible. I promise, today and every day, you have access to a self-harm, suicide crisis, and suicide bereavement service that believes you, and will fight for you. In a world that tries to erase you, the bravest thing to do is carry on existing. Stay angry Stay hopeful Solidarity always
April 20, 2025 at 6:12 PM
lauralhughes.bsky.social
Preparing for Nottingham’s protest on Sunday. Trans rights are human rights. 🏳️‍⚧️ @nottspastelproject.bsky.social @transpridenotts.bsky.social @harmlessuk.bsky.social
A photo of a protest sign. Sign states “in a world that tries to erase you, the bravest thing to do is carry on existing.”
April 18, 2025 at 11:42 AM
lauralhughes.bsky.social
Trans rights always and forever. 🏳️‍⚧️ #TransRightsAreHumanRights
Today, the UK Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that the definition of 'woman' in the Equality Act is based on 'biological sex' at birth, and does not include people with a Gender Recognition Certificate. This is a huge step backwards for trans people with regards to their rights and safety. Trans people were not even consulted. Trans people were excluded from evidence. This is indefensible, and horrifying news regarding UK LGBTQIA+ equality. Things you can do to help: • check in on your trans friends, colleagues, and clients. write to your MP advocating for trans rights. •donate to a trans rights charity, such as TransActual or Not A Phase. • challenge transphobia when you encounter it in-person or online. • join protests. sign petitions. share campaigns. • listen to and learn from trans people. Solidarity always.
April 16, 2025 at 8:03 PM
lauralhughes.bsky.social
#InternationalAsexualityDay 💜
A photo of Laura holding an asexual flag with pride.
April 6, 2025 at 9:27 PM
lauralhughes.bsky.social
I was so honoured to speak at Harmless’s #HarmToHope Conference on Friday.

One may assume that given the subject matter, a self-harm and suicide prevention conference would be a dreary day. But it was unbelievably uplifting, empowering, & motivating.

So proud. 🩵
A photo of some From Harm To Hope 2025 delegate packs, containing Laura’s photo and bio. The bio is too long to paste in this alt text, but it talks about Laura’s lived experience, her role as Self Harm and Suicide Intervention Lead, and her passions for LGBTQIA+ suicide prevention. A photo of Laura (a white woman in her twenties) stood on the stage at the From Harm To Hope Conference 2025. She is stood presenting about young people’s attrition within mental health services.
March 2, 2025 at 8:13 AM
lauralhughes.bsky.social
A fox caught one of my girls yesterday. Maisy. She was so pale & small when we rescued her in July 2023, but with time & love she flourished into a chonky happy girl. Most of her life was spent in the egg industry, but we gave her 1.5 years of grass, sunshine, & freedom. Rest in peace little one. ❤️
A pale small chicken who has just been rescued. She’s got brown feathers and a red comb. A brown chicken stood on a bench in her co-op. She’s got a lovely red face and red comb.
January 30, 2025 at 7:55 PM
lauralhughes.bsky.social
Life feels hard at the moment.
But, at the same time, I’m sat in bed re-reading The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, drinking a vanilla chai latte, with my beloved dog curled up on the bed with me. The heating’s been on; I’m warm and safe.
Life can be hard and good simultaneously.
A photo of a black and white dog curled up asleep on a bed, next to a paperback copy of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid.
January 13, 2025 at 8:59 PM
lauralhughes.bsky.social
Just finished ‘I Shall Never Fall In Love’ by @haridraws.bsky.social and cannot recommend it enough!! Such a wonderful queer graphic novel 🩵
The front cover of ‘I Shall Never Fall In Love’ by Hari Connor. The cover is an illustration of two characters in the book: a white woman with ginger hair tied in a bun wearing a blue dress, and a white-appearing transmasc with short brown hair. The characters are looking at each other lovingly.
January 1, 2025 at 10:33 PM