A vulnerable topic

A piece I wrote about being trans and disabled was just published in a zine. It's called Trans Survivors, and the .pdf is available for download here. This is the 7th volume, and the topic is "Rage and Soft Desire: Disability & Health." My bit of prose concludes a collection of art and poetry by trans people navigating a system that often doesn't see us as people worthy of life-saving care.

The editor and communications coordinator, Caleb Weinhardt, explains it well in the introduction: "Telling stories about physical pain and illness is something that many trans and nonbinary folks become well-practiced in: convincing the doctor we are 'trans enough' to prescribe HRT, or 'sick enough' to warrant that follow-up test."

Working with Caleb was among the best experiences I've ever had with editing a piece. He showed incredible care toward the vulnerability of my piece, and encouraged me to clarify my points without changing my intent. Knowing how considerate he was toward me allows me to appreciate that the other artists were able to shine here, too.

I love so many aspects of this zine. A play on words from Theo Leviathan felt so right and so clever: "I inject T for the first time and I am rooted. My dendrites extend deep into the prairie, I am one with the land. The swirling thoughts that lift me away drain into the underground water reservoir. The Bible belt loosens a notch."

This is not a review, but a hope that you will read this zine with a willingness to see us as we are: vulnerable and brave, trans and disabled, yet thriving.