Meet Trevor Thomson

Creator of dyslexia documentaries ‘Dyslexia: Educate Me’ and ‘No More Secrets’ Trevor Thomson shares his story

I found out I was dyslexic when I was at university in England. When I moved back to Scotland I started researching more about dyslexia and I came across Dyslexia Scotland. I went to one of their meetings and found that I had a lot in common with the people there. It felt nice being around other people with dyslexia and just chatting to them about being dyslexic.

I decided to contact Dyslexia Scotland and became a volunteer because I felt that my skills in video production and storytelling could help them reach more people. Using video is a great way to reach people in an impactful way – people connect, feel empathy, understand and see themselves in the films and stories. The main
thing for me really was helping other people who are dyslexic – I felt like I had to do something with other people going through the same hard experiences or at least help them know they’re not alone.

I produced the first Scottish-made documentary called ‘No More Secrets’ focusing on the relationship between dyslexia and mental health. I chose the title because I feel I’ve been hiding for a large part of my life, and I feel that people need to talk about their journey with dyslexia. I interviewed people who opened up about the lifelong trauma and suffering stemming from mental abuse and bullying they experienced in school, just because of their learning difference.

I tried and failed nearly every exam until the third year when, surprisingly, I passed a physics exam. I always passed my art exams, but no one seemed to care about that. My physics teacher helped me during lunch, organising my chaotic handwriting in a structured way, which helped a lot. I studied every day and night for two years and eventually passed all my exams. It was an unbelievably painful experience. I now understand that school isn’t everything, but back then, I still couldn’t read or write properly. My struggle is a mirror image of what many dyslexic people go through. I’m so glad I can share my personal story and that of others in the dyslexic community through my documentary and not be scared anymore.

The documentary serves as a wake-up call to those who don’t know about the learning difference and the harm that their words and actions could inflict
down the line. It also offers a sense of hope and brighter future to viewers who may be struggling with mental health resulting from dyslexia stigma.