Hayden Moon

[Image appears of a photo of Hayden Moon smiling while dancing, and then the image changes to show another photo of Haden dancing]

Hayden Moon: I love Irish dancing.

[Image changes to show a Hayden smiling while holding a trophy, and then the image changes to show Hayden dancing in a studio]

It’s a huge part of my life, something I’m extremely passionate about.

[Image changes to show a medium view and then a close view of Hayden talking to the camera, and then image changes to show Hayden smiling at the camera]

It reminds me of my grandma and we were really close.

[Image changes to show a medium view of Hayden talking to the camera, and text appears: Hayden Moon, IDPwD Ambassador]

My name is Hayden Moon and I use he and they pronouns.

[Image changes to show a close view of Hayden talking to the camera]

I’m an advocate for mainly for the LGBTQIA+ community but also for the disabled community and First Nations communities.

[Image changes to show a medium view and then a close view of Hayden talking to the camera]

I’m a writer, I’m a dancer, performer, and I’m currently studying a PhD at the University of Sydney in the Theatre and Performance Studies department.

[Music plays as images move through to show Hayden looking at a book which a talking male is holding, and then the camera zoom’s in to the book, and then Hayden laughing with the male]

[Image changes to show a close and then a medium view of Hayden talking to the camera, and then the image changes to show Haden holding a cane while walking with a female on a sidewalk]

I have a few disabilities, but my main ones would be that I’m autistic and I’m legally blind, and so I move through the world quite differently to the average person.

[Image changes to show a medium view of Hayden talking to the camera]

I’m trans masculine.

[Images move through to show views of Hayden talking to the camera, a magazine photo of Hayden smiling, Hayden dancing on a stage outside, and then Hayden smiling at the camera]

I was assigned female at birth, but I identify with masculinity and I was the first openly trans person to compete in Irish dancing in Australia. When I affirmed my gender, I wanted to compete as a man, but the policy didn’t allow that.

[Image changes to show a close view of Hayden talking to the camera]

So it was a really rough time.

[Image changes to show a medium view and then a close view of Hayden talking to the camera]

I actually had to engage with some pro-bono lawyers who advocated with me for a change in the official policy to allow transgender people to compete as our true selves.

[Image changes to show Hayden smiling and holding a small trophy while standing beside an ‘Australian International Oireachtas’ banner]

We actually won that battle.

[Images move through to show Hayden smiling and holding a small trophy while standing beside various different dancing banners, and then views of Hayden talking to the camera]

So since 2018 transgender people can compete in Irish dancing competitions as their true selves all around Australia, which is something I’m very, very proud of achieving.

[Image changes to show a medium view of Hayden talking to the camera]

I did it for my community.

[Image changes to show various views of Hayden talking to the camera]

I just don’t want any other trans person to have to go through what I went through, but I’m really glad that I was able to do it. And now I get to dance on stage as myself and it’s one of the happiest feelings for me.

[Music plays as image changes to show a view looking up into a tree canopy, Hayden working on a laptop outside, Hayden’s hands typing, and then Hayden looking up]

[Image changes to show various medium and close views of Hayden talking to the camera]

I really struggled in school, but I really, like I knew I wanted to get to uni and I, I guess I knew in myself that I could get to uni.

[Image changes to show various views of Hayden talking with a female while sitting on a park bench, and then the image changes to show a close view of Hayden talking to the camera]

Being autistic has been an asset as a PhD student.

[Image changes to show a medium view and then a close view of Hayden talking to the camera]

I’m basically living my dream here as an autistic person researching a special interest every day and I absolutely love it.

[Image changes to show Hayden using a laptop outside, and then a medium view of Hayden talking to the camera.]

The fact that I got here and that my autism is an asset to what I do is just something that I’m really, really proud of.

[Image changes to show various views of Hayden laughing and talking with a female sitting on steps, and then the camera pans left as a female is approaches them waving.]

What I would say to young disabled people and disabled people in general is that there are people out there who will love and support you for who you are, and I’ve been that person who feels like I won’t find community.

[Image changes to show various medium and close views of Hayden talking to the camera, and then the image changes to show views of Hayden laughing and talking with two females]

But I promise you they’re out there and you will find people who will surround you with love and acceptance and I want that for you.

[Image changes to show Hayden holding a laptop and smiling at the camera, and then the image changes to show Hayden talking to the camera]

I’m Hayden Moon and I’m an Ambassador for International Day of People with Disability.

[Music plays and image changes to show a blue screen with the International Day of People with Disability logo, and text appears: www.idpwd.com.au]