Conservative Lawmaker Jamie Wallis Comes Out as Trans in Personal Post

Jamie Wallis, a Tory MP from Wales, officially came out as transgender in a statement on Twitter.

"I'm trans. Or to be more accurate, I want to be," wrote Wallis. "I've been diagnosed with gender dysphoria and I've felt this way since I was a very young child. I had no intention of ever sharing this with you. I always imagined I would leave politics well before I ever said this out loud."

Wallis, who said he will continue to use he/him pronouns, shared that he was almost outed in April 2020. "There was a close call in April 2020 when someone blackmailed me, outed me to my father, and sent photographs to other family members. He wanted PS50,000 to keep quiet. The police were so supportive, so understanding and on this occasion the system worked. He pled guilty and was sentenced to 2yrs and 9mnths in prison," Wallis revealed.

Wallis said that following this incident, he was able to "get on with things and move on," thinking that he would be able to continue to be an MP while hiding his gender identity, as difficult as that would be. "I arrogantly assumed I was up for it. Well, I'm not," he shared.

Wallis said the breaking point for him followed a sexual assault in September at the hands of someone he met online. "A few months back, in September, I 'hooked up' with someone who I met online and when I chose to say 'no' on the basis that he wouldn't wear a condom he chose to rape me," Wallis wrote.

"I have not been myself since this incident and I don't think I will ever recover. It is not something you ever forget, and it is not something you ever move on from. Since then things have really taken a tumble. I am not OK," he shared.

Wallis also opened up about a car crash he was involved in November. "I fled the scene. I did so because I was terrified. I have PTSD and I honestly have no idea what I was doing except I was overcome by an overwhelming sense of fear. I am sorry that it appears I 'ran away' but this isn't how it happened at the moment."

He ends his statement by thanking his colleagues for their support in helping him to reach a place where he could finally come out. "I was reminded how important it is to be yourself," wrote Wallis. "I have never lived my truth and I'm not sure how. Perhaps it starts with telling everyone."