Why Trans Womanhood Is Not for Cis Women to Define June 17, 2019 by xoài pham, Guest Writer Leave a Comment When I first heard that Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie had said something unsavory about trans women back in 2017, I avoided the news. I didn't click on it. I tried not think about it. I had read Americanah, watched an interview or two, saw her talk "The Danger of a Single Story." I fondly followed her work and her outspoken position on feminism. As someone whose politics revolve … [Read more...]
Coming Out as Non-Binary in Class June 4, 2019 by West Anderson Leave a Comment I've been identifying as non-binary for three years. Until recently, being misgendered in my college classes was something I simply lived with. Being a non-binary person in class can be a difficult experience. In the beginning, I was much too shy and anxious to announce my identity to anywhere from thirty to three hundred strangers. I had no idea of my classmates’ knowledge of … [Read more...]
25 Ways I Was Granted White Male Privilege After I Transitioned – and Why ALL Men Must Speak Up Against Sexism May 15, 2019 by James St. James 1 Comment This article originally appeared on Everyday Feminism under the title "These 25 Examples of Male Privilege from a Trans Guy's Perspective Really Prove the Point" and is reprinted by permission. Quite a bit changed for me over the first couple of years I started testosterone. My health and mental well-being improved, my "happy button" grew over an inch in length, my natural musk … [Read more...]
Women Don’t Need to Say “I’m Sorry” Less — Men Need to Say it More April 17, 2019 by Katie Tastrom Leave a Comment Many purportedly feminist articles, memes, and other “self-help” that tells people what to do have been urging women to “Apologize Less!” or “Stop Saying Sorry”. The advice comes from the idea that women should not apologize for things that are not their fault and should be more like men and take up space without worrying about what other people think. Fuck that. Women Don’t … [Read more...]
5 Ways Cis People Can Help Make Life Safer for Trans Folks April 11, 2019 by West Anderson Leave a Comment Every day, I have to make the decision about whether or not to come out as transgender. There's a good reason why so much of my friend group is composed of trans people. I don't have to explain myself to them, I don't have to worry whether they are seeing me as I truly am, and I don't have to worry about any unintended microaggressions they might say relating to my gender. … [Read more...]
I Was My Own Body Terrorist and My Transition Saved My Life March 6, 2019 by Sam Dylan Finch 1 Comment I was distracted. Because I was designated female at birth, I had a lot to worry about when it came to my body. Was I thin enough? Was I beautiful enough? Was I alluring, desirable, fuckable? Would anybody want me? I was a teenager immersed in beauty ideals, expectations, and ultimately, body terrorism. The sheer amount of time I spent ruminating on my weight, on my … [Read more...]
Navigating the Constant Violence of Being Misgendered January 14, 2019 by West Anderson 1 Comment (Source: queerty)[Image description: On a pink background, two white outlines of people are sitting close together at a round table. The one on the left is smiling and tilting their head away while the one on the right leans in towards their ear. In the top left corner, in black text, it reads, “You had me at your ask of my preferred gender pronoun.”] I’ve had several … [Read more...]
Stop Misgendering Non-Binary People December 9, 2018 by West Anderson 4 Comments [Image description: A picture of the author wearing a black knit winter hat that has the word “they” across it in white capital letters with a row of pink hearts above and below the word. The hat has a white pom-pom at the top. West is a white non-binary person with very short brown hair just peeking out of the hat. They are wearing a blue plaid flannel buttoned all the way to … [Read more...]
Transitioning While Non-Binary November 27, 2018 by West Anderson 3 Comments Many people have asked the question, how can you transition if you’re not male or female? What are you transitioning to? The answer is different for every non-binary person. I know some people who have started hormones or had different surgeries. I know some people who started dressing differently. I know some people for whom the only transition they needed was to … [Read more...]
An Act of Knowing: Moving Towards a Black Femme Politic November 26, 2018 by Cortez Wright Leave a Comment When I was a child. What age, I can’t remember. But when I was a child tends to suffice for stories like this. When I was a child, I would play dress-up with my little sister. I’m the oldest of four. Theoretically, I should have been playing with my older, decidedly more butch cousin. Unfortunately – or fortunately, depending on who you ask – I was always just a tad bit too … [Read more...]
4 Things Cis Folk Are Clueless About When It Comes to Understanding Trans Folks November 21, 2018 by West Anderson 1 Comment I appreciate all the cis people in my life who have worked hard to learn about trans issues and become better allies to me and people like me. Despite their sincerity and hard work, there are a few habits that are so deeply engrained into our culture that I notice cis people have trouble remembering to step out of them. So I put together a list of a few things I notice my cis … [Read more...]
Why Policy Matters in the Fight Against Transphobia November 20, 2018 by Gillian Giles Leave a Comment If you're reading this, you may be aware that November is Transgender Awareness Month. It's a month for centering the rights and visibility of trans women, men, and non-binary people. From November 13 (today!) to November 19th is Transgender Awareness Week, or #Transweek, and then on November 20 is Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR, pronounced "TEE-door"). TDoR is for … [Read more...]
10 Myths We Must Debunk About Transgender Love November 19, 2018 by Catalina_Velasquez Leave a Comment While it is unfortunate that transgender people are not playing the roles of transgender characters, the Danish Girl was an outstanding movie. I even watched it twice. The storyline is based on the 2000 novel of the same name by David Ebershoff and loosely inspired by the lives of Danish painters Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener. But my post today is not a film review; instead, I … [Read more...]
“We Are Conquerors:” Transgender Collective Remakes Beyonce’s “Lemonade” & It’s Stunning November 18, 2018 by TBINAA Team Leave a Comment Michell'e Michaels, also known as Miss_Shalae, walks with her head held high and Beyonce stamina strong as she inspires trans people "to follow their hearts and dreams." Miss_Shalae is a Beyonce impersonator and performer based in Los Angeles and the star in the film. If you've been too bogged down with the unsettling news cycle of the past few weeks, we would love to … [Read more...]
How Can We Make Our Everyday Language More Gender-Inclusive? November 13, 2018 by Ramona Rio Leave a Comment The titles we so commonly use to address our loved ones all refer to binary gender identities. The words “brother”, “sister”, “dad”, “mother”, “aunt”, “uncle", "boyfriend", and "girlfriend" all assume a person is either a man or a woman. But what about those folks who identify as non-binary, agender, or Two-Spirit? Or folks who are gender non-conforming, gender-neutral, or are … [Read more...]
7 Ways We Attempt to Build Safety In a Less Safe World for Trans Folk November 4, 2018 by Ramona Rio Leave a Comment Being trans is to constantly live a life in terror. But, being trans also means to live a life in one’s own true selfhood. This is the duality of being trans, to live a life of suffering and agony, and to also live a life of self-determination and authenticity. Living a life of terror is to experience various forms of violence on a continuum. From one’s family and friends … [Read more...]
