“Maya” from Malasia

“I still have the scars from when they attacked me”

 

Maya arrived in the UK in December 2024, leaving behind a life in Malaysia of violence, fear, and rejection. As a transgender woman, she was never accepted in her home country. At government offices she was treated as a man, but worst of all, her parents rejected her. Reflecting on coming out about her identity, she said, “It was really hard. My parents didn't accept me and they still feel embarrassed because of my transition.”

 

Yet, the rejection didn’t stop there. “I was molested, abused, and beaten for my gender,” she shared. Maya still bears scars on her head and arms, a constant reminder of the violence she endured for being herself. Staying any longer would have been dangerous. She confessed, “I didn’t feel safe anymore.” So after saving up enough money working in a clothing shop, whilst her partner worked as a lorry driver, they fled to the UK by plane. 

 

In the UK, Maya experienced something new: peace. “I feel so safe, so peaceful here,” she reflected. “They treated me like a woman for the first time.” Maya found help from Thames Valley Positive Support, an LGBTQ association, which led her to SRS, where she took English classes and received help when her visa was in crisis. 

 

Looking to the future, Maya’s goals are clear: find a job, buy a house, change her name, and marry her partner. Yet her future is not without fear — she worries about homelessness and stability. 

 

Although Maya is building a future here, a part of her still holds on to the home she once knew. She will never forget the pain of seeing her family and friends turn on her for wanting to be herself. But, for the first time, she’s beginning to feel seen, supported, and free.