[ID: two parts of a poem on a black background. The first reads:
“Trans day of deep shuddering breaths. Trans day of walking down the street. Trans day of not being able to explain. Trans day of not reading the news right now. Trans day of the news gathering darkness as it goes unread. Trans day of food left on the kitchen counter for three days. Trans day of not trusting your parents. Trans day of the makeup doesn’t help. Trans day of don’t take pictures of me. Trans day of don’t show me the picture. Trans day of eyes like knives. Trans day of existence that flickers like a faulty old film projector. Trans day of just be yourself. Trans day of no one is trying to kill you they just don’t care if you die. Trans day of the structure of the universe asks us to protect one another. Trans day of I’m fine it’s cool I’m fine. Trans day of invisible fires that never go out. Trans day of pure beauty that no one else can see.”
The second reads:
“Trans day of uncontrollable laughter. Trans day of structures of love solid as rock. Trans day of looking after one another even when nothing’s wrong at all. Trans day of dancing until your sweat surely contains detectable traces of the music playing. Trans day of direct access to divinity. Trans day of angelic clarity of mission. Trans day of the unkillable smile. Trans day of the wilderness doesn’t care what anyone calls it. Trans day of playing with animals. Trans day of everyday life as a prayer in itself. Trans day of spinning in circles whirling and whirling out beyond any boundaries they drew for us.” End ID]
We are here to serve our community, to empower our siblings in struggle to the best of our abilities. But we can’t do that without your feedback!
What do you want to see from Trans Empowerment Project next year? What did you love, like, or dislike about our efforts this past year, and what do you want to see more of moving forward?
Please share any thoughts, feedback, or ideas you have in the notes, through the DMs, or by emailing us! Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated and will inform the work we do in 2021.
[ID: Pink textured background. White text down the left edge reads “what do you want to see from us in 2021?” Two speech bubbles are placed to the right, one with a pink question mark and one with a lit lightbulb. The TEP logo and “share your thoughts, feedback, & ideas in the comments or DMs” in dark pink are at the bottom.]
ATTENTION ALLIES - Want to learn the best ways to make sure your trans loved ones feel supported during the holidays? Join our webinar tomorrow with Evey Winters for Day Five of “Peace, Love, & Trans Joy: A Virtual Home for the Holidays”!
Allies and folks with trans loved ones are highly encouraged to attend our discussion at 7pm EST to learn how they can best support their trans family members during this holiday season (and always). Register here: bit.ly/TEPholidaysupport
We want to give our community a space to come together safely and frequently for the holidays. Despite the hurt we have individually and collectively felt this year, we can be your home this season.
[ID: Snowy teal background with a blue mountain landscape at the bottom. In the landscape, people in warm clothing are dressed and playing in the snow around a colorfully decorated house. The TEP logo, the title of the series, and the date, title, and description of Day 5.]
Want to meet some of your community members? Join our second of six days of community fun and connection! Tomorrow, Day Two of “Peace, Love, & Trans Joy: A Virtual Home for the Holidays,” is our game day!
Join us for a day of games and prizes. At 1 pm EST, we have a scavenger hunt! At 4 pm EST, we’ll be playing bingo. And we’ll be doing trivia night starting at 7 pm EST. Register for just one or all three here: bit.ly/TEPgameday
We want to give our community a space to come together safely and frequently for the holidays. Despite the hurt we have individually and collectively felt this year, we can be your home this season.
[ID: Snowy teal background with a blue mountain landscape at the bottom. In the landscape, people in warm clothing are dressed and playing in the snow around a colorfully decorated house. The TEP logo, the title of the series, and the date, title, and description of Day 4 is below.]
We are in the midst of the holiday season! Thanks to the generosity of some talented artists, you can send love and support to someone who might need some extra joy this holiday season: bit.ly/TEP-ecard
By making a donation of $3 or more, you can pick your favorite design and send a personalized e-card to the person of your choosing! Not only will your gift ensure that your loved ones know you were thinking of them, it will help us continue to provide vital resources to trans people in crisis, particularly QTPOC.
All of the artwork featured was created and donated by trans artists, and we have given them a shoutout on our social media!
Being isolated from each other feels especially tough during the holidays. Send your loved ones an e-card so that they can feel your love and support from afar! Choose your e-card here: bit.ly/TEP-ecard
[ID: Blue snowy background with the TEP logo in the top left. A dusty blue card is centered with a white heart, a pink scarf, and a white banner with the donation link. Two plant branches frame the card. Below is text describing the fundraiser.]
Want to meet some of your community members? Join our second of six days of community fun and connection! Tomorrow, Day Two of “Peace, Love, & Trans Joy: A Virtual Home for the Holidays,” is our holiday mixer!
For get-to-know-you activities and break out rooms, register here for the Zoom event at 6pm EST tomorrow night: bit.ly/TEPholidaymixer
We want to give our community a space to come together safely and frequently for the holidays. Despite the hurt we have individually and collectively felt this year, we can be your home this season.
[ID: Snowy teal background with a blue mountain landscape at the bottom. In the landscape, people in warm clothing are dressed and playing in the snow around a colorfully decorated house. The TEP logo, the title of the series, and the date, title, and description of Day 3.]
This event is by donation, with funds distributed to the artists and performers (listed below). It is on a sliding scale, and if you do not have the funds, you can still RSVP and attend. They ask everyone to “pay what you can, so we can support our performers who are all trans musicians, singers, djs, and entertainers.”
Performing at Enby Spoken Histories’s 2021 Zoom party are XEMARA, Lē, Bashbabyblue, PixieShawty, Onyx Demonic, Libby Leola, Rashad Rashàd, Introspekt, and Irregular Girl! Supporting trans artists and trans organizations is so important.
[ID: Brown gradient background with a white header and frame. On the header is a repost symbol, Enby Spoken Histories’s Instagram username, and the TEP logo. Below is a yellow poster with the title, date, time, and performers of the event and a photo of a disco ball.]
The holiday season can be uncomfortable for many queer and trans folks. But we do not have an obligation to continue familial and community traditions that are not good for us.
We can make new traditions. We can adapt old traditions to our needs and our evolving selves. We can come together and find joy amongst ourselves, in person or virtually.
Where do you find affirmation during the holidays, for any and all parts of yourself? What traditions (new or old) bring you joy? Share in the comments – share in each others’ joy.
[ID: Pink background with three star-shaped ornaments covered in gold glitter and one clear bauble ornament partially filled with gold glitter. The TEP logo is in the top right corner. White cursive text in the bottom left quarter of the graphic reads “where do you find affirmation during the holidays? what traditions bring you joy?”]
Whether you are feeling holiday cheer or not, we invite you to participate in our six days of community fun and connection! DAY ONE of “Peace, Love, & Trans Joy: A Virtual Home for the Holidays” is tomorrow with Mystery Holiday Theater 3000!
Join us as we watch the holiday classic "Scrooged” and help us roast the heck out of it! Register here for the Zoom event at 5pm EST tomorrow night: bit.ly/MHT3000
We want to give our community a space to come together safely and frequently for the holidays. Despite the hurt we have individually and collectively felt this year, we can be your home this season.
[ID: Snowy teal background with a blue mountain landscape at the bottom. In the landscape, people in warm clothing are dressed and playing in the snow around a colorfully decorated house. The TEP logo and a white box are at the top; the box frames a gift and text reading “Peace, Love, & Trans Joy: A Virtual Home for the Holidays.” Centered white text below reads “DAY ONE IS TOMORROW, December 26. Mystery Holiday Theater 3000, Movie night with "Scrooged,” Mystery Science Theater 3000-style!“]
During this Latine/x Heritage Month, we want to celebrate the diversity, beauty, and resilience of our Latine/x trans siblings We see you in your boldness in these intersecting identities. What does Latine/x Heritage Month mean to you?
Gender is an experience and a whole adventure. Nonbinary people come in all shapes, sizes, and expressions. Our needs are as unique as we are. Because there is no such thing as a “typical” nonbinary person, everyone’s medical needs should be treated on an individual basis. Knowing your options will help you work with your provider to make sure you’re getting the most out of your healthcare.
If you are nonbinary, you might have questions about what “gender-affirming” healthcare looks like for you. Your gender identity might feel new to you, fluid, or temporary; it might also feel clearly defined. One of the beautiful things about the “nonbinary” gender is that it can manifest in so many different ways—as many ways as there are people. With such diversity, you deserve plenty of medical treatment options, too.
Joy and grief are all parts of any transition. Becoming your most authentic self means letting go of the parts that were meant to protect you and keeping the parts that are the core of who you are. All the love, joy, and hope wouldn’t be here without the grief, loss, and hurt along the way. From friendships and family members, to workplace challenges and inaccessible healthcare, to losing parts of the past you can no longer go back to, coping with this sense of loss is the unjust price of becoming who you were always meant to be. Grief, the deep sadness which stems from loss, reminds us of the deep love we are capable of giving and receiving. Letting go of what doesn’t serve you means making space for something new to flourish. Queerness is a cycle of death and rebirth, peeling back layers of mask and shell over and over again, until the image of self is both recognizable and beyond imagination. Hold onto that hope as you go through your journey. We are always here to answer your questions and help you get started! If you are ready, visit us at getplume.co/get-started
Claiming your identity is a powerful, political act in a culture that wants gender to be simple. The moment we begin to know who we are, we start to experience how binary gender is normalized. Blue for boys, pink for girls, and strictly segregated single-sex spaces are some of the first ways we experience the gender binary. For those of us who identify as nonbinary, transgender, genderfluid, gender non-conforming, agender, or genderqueer, the binary just doesn’t work. It doesn’t make sense to or for us.
Some people describe gender dysphoria as a sense of displacement. In our culture, anyone who doesn’t fit into standard gender categories might feel this way. Gender dysphoria can be a physical sensation or a psychological one. However, it’s not the only sign that our identity doesn’t square with binary gender.
Although some events are unforeseeable, it’s usually possible to plan ahead. You should keep a minimum of 3-4 days of medication on hand. Try to think one week ahead when you’re prepping your emergency kit. Do you have enough syringes for gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT)? Do you have extra alcohol swabs and band-aids? To avoid missing a dose, it’s important to make sure you have enough medication and care supplies. “Enough” means that if you dropped one of your medications or lost it, you would still have a sufficient supply that you would be able to administer the meds on time.
That means supporting you through your diverse gender expressions and identities, helping you choose the right prescriptions and doses that best fits your goals, and focusing on finding the right combination of care for YOU. No matter where you are in your journey, We are here to listen to you, and help you feel at home in your body, all on your terms.
Your transness is not tied to the decisions you make for your body, you are already beautiful and valid from the start. And if starting HRT does feel like the right path for you, we will be there to support you every step of the way.
Testosterone is the cornerstone of testosterone-based gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT), which uses synthetic testosterone. No singular gender identity is required for testosterone-based GAHT. But generally speaking, it is commonly prescribed to trans men, and trans masculine, non-binary, and intersex folks.
Here’s a little information about Estrogen! Estrogen is a hormone we all naturally make, but different bodies make different amounts. No singular gender identity is required for estrogen-based GAHT! But most commonly it is prescribed to trans women, transfeminine, nonbinary, and intersex folks. ⠀ ⠀ Estrogen, testosterone blockers or androgen blockers, and progesterone are the large groups of therapies that are typically used in estrogen-based GAHT. Each group of medications can be administered in a variety of dosages and routes.
Gender transition, coming out, and taking steps to affirm yourself is a journey that any person can begin at any age. Although the media tends to focus on younger trans people, our community is not new. Transgender people of all ages, races, ethnicities, and faiths have flourished for millennia in cultures around the world. It is never too late to realize who you are and honor your identity. If you are transitioning in your golden years (or silver!), you are right on time.
