By Gill Platek, Storytelling Organizer
Your support and generosity this Give OUT Day continues to sustain our work, allowing us to uplift trans, queer, and Two-Spirit youth storytelling.
As we enter another year with politicians and legislators using our community for their culture wars, GSA Network recognizes the need to meet this moment with an intersectional and decolonized approach to our queer, trans, and Two-Spirit work. That is why we began the year with our annual call for GSA Day 4 Racial Justice, focusing on the sixth point of our Gender Justice Leadership Programs’ 9-Point Platform: We call for comprehensive education that reflects the histories and needs of queer, trans, Two Spirit, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities. While certain movements work to erase our community, history, and culture, GSA Network is working harder than ever to uplift stories and narratives about BIPOC trans, queer, and Two-Spirit people who continue to face the brunt of these attacks.
With these needs in mind, we decided to release our second Trans Joy Zine, this time focusing on Black trans, nonbinary, and Two-Spirit youth under the age of 25 and how they embody joy as an act of resistance. Through this digital zine, Black trans youth were able to share what joy means to them through all forms of media, including illustrations about gender euphoria, spoken word about a resilient history, original songs about coming of age, videos of dance and ballroom culture, and so much more.
As we reflected on what trans joy means to so many youth from all areas of the country, we saw the power that joy has in transforming our doubt into hope, fear into love, and anger into action. Black trans youth showed up and told the world loud and clear that they aren’t going anywhere and that their joy cannot be erased. As you peruse this year’s Black Trans Joy Zine, we invite you to be fully immersed in that sentiment and spirit. Let their joys and passions ignite you into action to protect all trans, gender non-conforming, and Two-Spirit youth who dare to live out loud as their authentic selves.
To check out the full zine, visit: ourtranstruth.org/black-trans-joy-zine-2024