“Prince represented one of the bravest versions of being yourself that I can remember”
gender
As promised, the full collection of all trans and/or non-binary people I’ve done so far. Hope you like them 🙂
I fucking love this omg.
On May 29, 2014, the issue of timemagazine magazine which proclaimed the “Transgender Tipping Point” was revealed with me on the cover. June 1, 2015 a year and 3 days later, Caitlyn Jenner’s vanityfair cover was revealed proclaiming #CallMeCaitlyn
I am so moved by all the love and support Caitlyn is receiving. It feels like a new day, indeed, when a trans person can present her authentic self to the world for the first time and be celebrated for it so universally.
Many have commented on how gorgeous Caitlyn looks in her photos, how she is “slaying for the Gods.” I must echo these comments in the vernacular, “Yasss Gawd! Werk Caitlyn! Get it!”
But this has made me reflect critically on my own desires to ‘work a photo shoot’, to serve up various forms of glamour, power, sexiness, body affirming, racially empowering images of the various sides of my black, trans womanhood.
I love working a photo shoot and creating inspiring images for my fans, for the world and above all for myself. But I also hope that it is my talent, my intelligence, my heart and spirit that most captivate, inspire, move and encourage folks to think more critically about the world around them.
Yes, Caitlyn looks amazing and is beautiful but what I think is most beautiful about her is her heart and soul, the ways she has allowed the world into her vulnerabilities. The love and devotion she has for her family and that they have for her. Her courage to move past denial into her truth so publicly. These things are beyond beautiful to me.
A year ago when my Time magazine cover came out I saw posts from many trans folks saying that I am “drop dead gorgeous” and that that doesn’t represent most trans people. (It was news to be that I am drop dead gorgeous but I’ll certainly take it). But what I think they meant is that in certain lighting, at certain angles I am able to embody certain cisnormative beauty standards. Now, there are many trans folks because of genetics and/or lack of material access who will never be able to embody these standards. More importantly many trans folks don’t want to embody them and we shouldn’t have to to be seen as ourselves and respected as ourselves . It is important to note that these standards are also infomed by race, class and ability among other intersections.
I have always been aware that I can never represent all trans people. No one or two or three trans people can. This is why we need diverse media representstions of trans folks to multiply trans narratives in the media and depict our beautiful diversities.
I started #TransIsBeautiful as a way to celebrate all those things that make trans folks uniquely trans, those things that don’t necessarily align with cisnormative beauty standards. For me it is necessary everyday to celebrate every aspect of myself especially those things about myself that don’t align with other people’s ideas about what is beautiful. #TransIsBeautiful is about, whether you’re trans or not, celebrating all those things that make us uniquely ourselves.
Most trans folks don’t have the privileges Caitlyn and I have now have. It is those trans folks we must continue to lift up, get them access to healthcare, jobs, housing, safe streets, safe schools and homes for our young people. We must lift up the stories of those most at risk, statistically trans people of color who are poor and working class.
I have hoped over the past few years that the incredible love I have received from the public can translate to the lives of all trans folks. Trans folks of all races, gender expressions, ability, sexual orientations, classes, immigration status, employment status, transition status, genital status etc.. I hope, as I know Caitlyn does, that the love she is receiving can translate into changing hearts and minds about who all trans people are as well as shifting public policies to fully support the lives and well being of all of us.
The struggle continues…
dystopia au where we are all assigned one of two chosen genders at birth
Thanks to ultrasounds, the genders can be assigned before birth. The people are so excited to conform they throw “Gender reveal parties” to make sure their offspring exist in a strict binary since before they can even form thoughts.
Children are color-coded according to their binary assignment.
if exploring your gender is ‘becoming a trend’ then i’m glad it’s replacing the ‘being confused and miserable with no context or vocabulary for what you’re going through’ trend
During the “Being Non-Compliant” panel it was said “our toys won’t be taken away”. But isn’t that already happening? We lost Thor. We lost Cap. Sooner or later Miles will replace Peter. Avengers goes all female. I mean, it feels like all my favorites are being slowly chipped away and replaced. What comics am I supposed to read soon?
StandardYour toys aren’t being taken away, your mom just told you that you have to share them and now you don’t want them anymore because they have cooties on them.
I dunno man, you might actually have to try relating to a character that doesn’t look like you at some point. And you happen to be part of the one group that has really not in recent memory been called upon to do that. So you’ll excuse me if I don’t feel all that bad for you?
A very wise woman once said to me, on the topic of my books being made into television, “See your books? They’re right there. Those TV folks can’t change a word.”
All the changes in the present do nothing–NOTHING–to effect the past. All the classic stories, all the enormous volumes of material that is focused almost entirely on straight white men, it’s all still there. No one can change a word. So saying that we’d like a volume of material that focuses on the rest of humanity isn’t taking any toys away. It’s saying “no, sweetie, your siblings get some toys for a change, because it isn’t your birthday today.” We are not, cannot, and would not be taking your toys and throwing them out. We’re just not buying you new ones for a while.
Play with the enormous number you already have.
Do you really believe … that everything historians tell us about men – or about women – is actually true? You ought to consider the fact that these histories have been written by men, who never tell the truth except by accident.
Moderata Fonte, pseudonym of Modesta Pozzo (1555-1592). She was an Italian writer from Venice who wrote religious and romantic poetry. Modesta is best known, however, for the posthumously published The Worth of Women: Wherein Is Clearly Revealed Their Nobility and Their Superiority to Men (via historical-nonfiction)
Forever reblog.
Marginalized sexual/romantic orientations represented as the real and very accurate mythical creatures they are.
This is based on a tumblr text post, but… I can’t find it anymore…
You can drag them ! They are transparent !
BEAUTIFUL
I love this so much!!!
Don’t Police My Masculinity – Alexander Ikhide by Seye Isikalu
In a world where Hyper-masculinity is unfailingly sold to us on a daily basis, ‘Don’t Police My Masculinity’ playfully explores ideas of self-love, self-acceptance & general care-freeness of the Black Male in particular.
happy valentine’s day people! love yourselves first!