I’ve had people asking me about plus-sized binding tips, and I’ve been at a loss because I’m, like, the toy version of a transgender?? So these r for u!
Again, if you don’t fully identify as the gender you were assigned at birth 100% of the time, you can call yourself trans. That’s it, there’s no other criteria you need to meet to be trans.
The national conversation about trans identity and community tends to focus on the newest crop of trans youth. But why don’t we hear about older trans and gender-nonconforming individuals who manage to overcome the at times seemingly impossible odds and survive — and thrive — in America?
Photographer Jess Dugan’s latest project To Survive on This Shore aims to bring attention to those voices. For over five years, Dugan and social worker Vanessa Fabbre have traveled across the United States photographing and interviewing older trans and gender-nonconforming individuals to ensure their stories, largely untold, are finally shared. Dugan told BuzzFeed News in an interview that she views the project (now a published book, released this week) as, first and foremost, an “educational and activist mission.”
“Prior to starting this project, I heard from several younger trans people that they had never seen images of older transgender people and that they had no roadmap for what their life might look like going forward,” she said. “I wanted to create this project for them, as well as to record and validate the experiences of older transgender people, many of whom are directly responsible for the world we live in today.”
I’ll keep this somewhat short. I think in terms of the huge queer spectrum there has been an excellent idea to start the push for equal rights with gay marriage, on the basis that you have to start focusing on one thing, and gay marriage is a quick and easy win (relatively). Okay, a huge struggle, but as things go it was easier for a lot of people to accept.
Anyway, I’d like to suggest a selfish alternative idea, which is starting with recognizing trans people with all the necessary legal abilities to change name and genders and treatment being protected and not gatekept and making it not legal to murder us and stuff. Here’s my thoughts why:
We need rapid change, not incremental. If you start with trans rights, it has to pull all the rest along with it. If people can change gender, you have to recognize a fluidity and spectrum. If gender is fluid, you have to recognize a fluid sexuality as well. If people can go from a heterosexual marriage to a queer one, you have to recognize marriage equality. If you have to start recognizing equality for queer people generally, you have to start realizing there’s a pretty big problem with racial equality in the queer world. And so on.
I think trans rights nets the whole thing in one catch, and this is probably very naive and full of problems I didn’t think but also – I am absolutely this selfish.
This isn’t even selfish anymore, just a necessity.
This works in reverse too by the way so if we lose rights you know they’re gunning for everyone and will use it as precedence to knock down every bit of progress since the 1920s.
Hey y’all, with Asexual Awareness Week coming up (Oct 21-27th this year) here are a few things to remember!
• Asexuals are part of the LGBTQ+ community
• Asexuality is real
• Aces can choose not to celebrate/participate in any way
• Aces have every right to be proud of their identity
• Aces are lgbt+ regardless of their romantic orientation.
• Aces aren’t “basically straight” or any other complaint exclusionists have
• Asexuality is an orientation just like any other as well as a spectrum
• Greysexuals, Demisexuals, Cupiosexual, etc are all valid and also have a right to celebrate this week
• Ace Men exist
• Nonbinary Aces exist
• Not every Ace is Cis
• Exclusionists/Gatekeepers/etc are not welcome here
• AroAces exist
• Ace WLW exist
• Ace MLM exist
• Ace nblnb / nblm / nblw exist
• Poc Aces exist
• Disabled Aces exist
• Mentally ill Aces exist
• There are Aces of many different races/genders/ages/religions/etc
• Whether you’re an Ace still struggling with their orientation or an Ace who’s proud, or any other type of Ace, Asexual Awareness Week is for you and you’re valid regardless.
I am 20. I came out on Facebook to my family and friends. My parents immediately switched names and went from saying I was their daughter to that I was their child. It wasn’t easy, but it got done.
My partner is the same age as me and they work with teens. Their pronouns change, and even though they live in the middle of the Bible Belt, they explained their identity and the teens were curious about their gender identity and listened when they were told not to use slurs. They changed their label a few times, worried what I would think, but I told them that exploring your identity should be an adventure.
My good friend is in the same class as me, and she uses either she/her or they/them. Sometimes she binds, sometimes she doesn’t. 24/7, she makes jokes about being the biggest Lesbian to walk the planet.
My manager at work is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns. Our coworkers respect their pronouns, and they are a fantastic boss. They’re in their early 30s approximately.
My newest university professor introduced themself and stated immediately that their pronouns are they/them. They are sweet and a successful artist, and they’re 5 years into teaching at my university. They’re also in their 30s.
Being nonbinary isn’t a thing “for teenagers on tumblr”.
Being nonbinary doesn’t mean that you have to keep it a secret.
Being nonbinary doesn’t mean that you have to limit your success or your identity.
Being nonbinary is for anyone who identifies that way.
There is no one way to be nonbinary, there is only the way you want to be nonbinary.
I hope that your coming out goes smoothly, and I hope it happens when you’re ready and you want it.
May you all find love, success, and joy during the summer months ❤
Queer Fiction Writer 