Knowledge is power, and a big part of what I’m trying to do with this series is outline interlocking rings of knowledge that will give us the power not just to discuss, but to unthink the problematics of trans literature when we get to the modern day.
I would argue that understanding social, legal, political, and geographical aspects of queer history are actually way more crucial to an effective LGBT activism than information about individual figures or activists.
If you’ve been around queer communities for a long time, you’ve probably heard the phrase “remember your history,” and I think that often comes with the misinterpretation that we need to remember, like, a biographical account of Sylvia Rivera or Martha P. Johnson’s life or something.
These histories all too often devolve into spectacle - whatever representation of homosexuality or GNC figures is the flashiest is what passes into the popular conscience, ignoring their particular relevance to or position within trends beneath.
But that’s also the exact reason why this work is so necessary. So much of “queer history” relies upon flashy images of cross-dressers and explicit sexuality, often preferring the stories of individuals living GNC lives over a broader examination of historical trends.
This may not be the most glamorous or trans-centric piece in the series, but the context and groundwork established here will be absolutely essential as we move deeper into historical transfeminine lives over the next few articles 🏳️⚧️🏳️⚧️🏳️⚧️
Part Two of our A Brief History of Transfeminine Literature series is live right now! We'll be talking about Haudenosaunee, Haiti, abolitionism, and the criminalization of obscenity in the United Kingdom ✨ (cover art made by yours truly as well)
Unpacking the Sixty Years War, the Haitian Revolution, British abolitionism, and how it all influenced the criminalization of obscene literature during the 19th Century.
Part Two, “Trans-Atlantic Relations,” is live right now!
Part Two of our A Brief History of Transfeminine Literature series is live right now! We'll be talking about Haudenosaunee, Haiti, abolitionism, and the criminalization of obscenity in the United Kingdom ✨ (cover art made by yours truly as well)
Unpacking the Sixty Years War, the Haitian Revolution, British abolitionism, and how it all influenced the criminalization of obscene literature during the 19th Century.
Part Two of our A Brief History of Transfeminine Literature series is live right now! We'll be talking about Haudenosaunee, Haiti, abolitionism, and the criminalization of obscenity in the United Kingdom ✨ (cover art made by yours truly as well)
Unpacking the Sixty Years War, the Haitian Revolution, British abolitionism, and how it all influenced the criminalization of obscene literature during the 19th Century.
Posting day! Gotta write some summaries and alt text but we should be ready to print in an hour or two 💕