Claire Hodgson

Hi, I’m Claire. I’ve worn many clinical hats in the last 24 years. As an equine vet I got my CertAVP (EM) before retiring from equine work after developing chronic illness (ME/CFS). I’ve pivoted over to small animal locum work to pay the bills, and am a con-founder and director of BVCIS (British Veterinary Chronic Illness Support) and Affinity Futures, an intersectional EDI consultancy. My passion lies in helping to build a future profession everyone can access where they feel included and know they belong.

While I always knew I wasn’t straight it’s taken me a long time to fully step into my identity and now use the labels bisexual or queer, since I’ve mostly relinquished all aspects of conventional relationships. I have never had a big coming out moment, I have simply become more comfortable talking openly about that aspect of me.

As a passionate advocate for those with chronic illness, disability and neurodiversity, I work to ensure that discussions around mental health and wellbeing include everyone. It is through this community and work that I began to be more closely involved with BVLGBT+. So many of us have multiple marginalised identities that all interact and impact on how we experience the world. Without including this intersectionality when discussing mental and physical health, and neurodiversity we will always leave people behind.