INK Youth Zine Project grant recipients tell their stories with the help of the Trans Youth Equality Foundation of Portland.
Last weekend, INK Youth Zine Project coordinator Zeraph travelled to Portland to provide a supportive presence for an amazing project that is truly the first of it's kind.
Transgender children are born into bodies that don't fit the gender of their minds-- and usually, they know it right from childhood, even toddlerhood. Even though many parents support their transgender children in living in the gender they identify as-- the one they know themselves to be-- school systems, churches, and community members may not be accepting. Some children have to move to flee discrimination, threats and violence. Usually, the family opts to have the child live as "stealth"-- blending in with other kids who don't know that they have an anatomical difference.
So it's not often that these wonderful kids get a chance to share all of who they are, including their transgender histories, their fears and their pride. And while many medical professionals, social workers and educators are learning about how to support transgender kids, they don't usually hear about being trans in the kids' own words. That is about to change with the Trans Zine, a booklet of art, poetry, coming-out stories, resources and more, by and for transgender children. The zine was created by the children of the Trans Youth Equality Foundation, a New England organization helping trans kids and their families. The zine will be distributed widely-- from families who are seeking support for their trans child, to social and medical workers. Through a grant from Bangor Media Collective's INK Youth Zine Project, we hope that the zine will reach even more people.
The children who find support through Trans Youth Equality Foundation will be joined in the zine endeavor by children on the other coast. Trans youth from Portland, Oregon who are a part of TransActive will also contribute content.
Bangor Media Collective and the INK Youth Zine Project Advisory Council are proud and excited to support this project. If you would like to get involved with helping trans youth, there are endless ways to do so. Email contact@transyouthequality.org to find out the many ways you can help.
Transgender children are born into bodies that don't fit the gender of their minds-- and usually, they know it right from childhood, even toddlerhood. Even though many parents support their transgender children in living in the gender they identify as-- the one they know themselves to be-- school systems, churches, and community members may not be accepting. Some children have to move to flee discrimination, threats and violence. Usually, the family opts to have the child live as "stealth"-- blending in with other kids who don't know that they have an anatomical difference.
So it's not often that these wonderful kids get a chance to share all of who they are, including their transgender histories, their fears and their pride. And while many medical professionals, social workers and educators are learning about how to support transgender kids, they don't usually hear about being trans in the kids' own words. That is about to change with the Trans Zine, a booklet of art, poetry, coming-out stories, resources and more, by and for transgender children. The zine was created by the children of the Trans Youth Equality Foundation, a New England organization helping trans kids and their families. The zine will be distributed widely-- from families who are seeking support for their trans child, to social and medical workers. Through a grant from Bangor Media Collective's INK Youth Zine Project, we hope that the zine will reach even more people.
The children who find support through Trans Youth Equality Foundation will be joined in the zine endeavor by children on the other coast. Trans youth from Portland, Oregon who are a part of TransActive will also contribute content.
Bangor Media Collective and the INK Youth Zine Project Advisory Council are proud and excited to support this project. If you would like to get involved with helping trans youth, there are endless ways to do so. Email contact@transyouthequality.org to find out the many ways you can help.
Photo: "Girl on a Swing," by Jack Montgomery, from TYEF website
No comments:
Post a Comment