In honor of this important day, we sat down with some folks in the NYC community to share their experiences. Visibility is power. Trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming individuals deserve safety, care, joy, and the freedom to live as themselves, every day.
Angel (she/her): I look up to the trans people around me in the community. My friends are the coolest and most fearless people I’ve ever met. They inspire me to keep going and that my transition is worth it for my peace and happiness. I know so many inspiring trans woman who create and work hard and are paving the way for the rest of us. Breaking down barriers and doing the hard work of doing things that have never been done before. Fight for all trans people to rightfully take our place in culture and society.
MOODY: What makes you feel the most seen?
Angel: I often feel most seen when recognized for the work I do. It is my job to create and curate spaces for trans people to meet, build community, and ultimately have fun. It’s is my job to express myself and share my art so others have the courage to do the same.
Angel: To be honest, there aren’t many great pieces of trans representation in media. I think most media tends to exploit the queer experience and the traumas that come with being a trans/ queer person. The traumas we experience are very much a part of the story—but we also experience so much joy. These days it feels like queer joy is a radical act. It’s almost as if in media our pain and trauma is celebrated.
However, seeing trans artists like Kim Petras, Cortisa Star, Indya Moore, Hunter Schafer, Hari Nef, etc, make me so happy. To be unapologetically trans and presenting your art to the world regardless of the obstacles. They take up space and create opportunities for themselves, paving a path for trans women like me to have a little bit less of a difficult time.
MOODY: When are you in your element most?
Angel: I am most in my element when I am glammed up and surrounded by friends. I love the performance aspect of nightlife and music. Fashion and music is how I express myself. I feel most like myself when I feel confident in my skin, supported and inspired by people I love. Fierce is Fierce honey.
MOODY: How can allies help in the fight against transphobia?
Tasi (she/they): Transphobia at its essence is a “fear”. Throughout American history we’ve seen this “fear” affect more than just “trans people” but many marginalized communities from the Civil Rights movement, to Women’s suffrage, how Asian communities were treated (ex: the Chinese population with the “Chinese exclusion act”) or how the Japanese were discriminated against, placed in internment camps (death camps) in World War II, as well as anti-Arab and anti-Muslim sentiment by Americans post 9-11.
Communities of color aren’t the only victims of this displacement of “fear”.
White people have forgot that Americans have targeted other white people through our history, including Catholics, Italians, and Irish people in the turn of the earliest century. This “fear” is now being used against “trans and queer people”.
Our government and society are just looking for another marginalized community to use as a scapegoat and as a distraction to address our country’s real problems.
Most “fears” are rooted in a fear of the unknown, the unfamiliar, or of potentially having their environment and lifestyles change as a result of inclusion—even if the current system is one of inequity, inequality, and a system that leads to hatred and violence. This system is familiar to Americans, and any amount of change requires the opposite of ignorance: understanding, compassion, and empathy.
So, the best thing our allies can do for trans or gender non-conforming (TGNC) people, foremost, is—with guidance from TGNCs—is to educate!
Vocalize the benefits of how a melting pot of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and cultures gives us more perspective and resources, rather than the “fear” of accepting others that are different. Change is inevitable—it’s not something to be scared of. We share more in common than different.
To seek equality and human rights for transgender and gender non-conforming people, our allies must speak and stand up for human rights for all people and do so consistently.
We need our allies at marches, protests, and to stand up for more than just our right to exist. We deserve so much more!
We need their help in other areas that some back away from when it’s politically expedient, issues like cutting funding to HIV/AIDS from state, local, and federal budgets or cutting and removing gender affirming care to trans kids, and also against the genocide happening in Gaza. Trans rights are human rights. How are we suppose to convince others if we are not applying equality, respect, and humanity to all marginalized communities and on every issue?
The only way cis-people will understand, is if our allies are unapologetic and consistent—not just as a means of assuaging their guilt or sense of “altruism” that is seen online—but in the real world.
What helps us more than political performativism on social media is political engagement and political activism—answering the “call to action” through action.
Re-posting news articles in our echo chamber online or on Instagram doesn’t help us as much as volunteering at Black Trans Liberation Kitchen,or a queer food bank or clothing drive, help feed and clothe black and brown trans people. Attend a protest against our Federal Government ending life-saving care to transgender kids. Instead of spending money on a “Protect a Dolls” t-shirt, use it instead to support a tran’s BIPOC’s mutual or community aid. If you earn an expendable income, set up a reoccurring percentage of your income and donate it to any queer non-profit in NYC.
Unequivocally through both standing firm with words AND ACTION will we change minds, but we need both, and we need more support than what we currently are receiving from our allies for our system to see any meaningful change.
MOODY: What makes you feel the most in your body?
Tasi: For me, my entire life transitioning involves peeling layers of denial and feelings of guilt and shame of not expressing myself the way my body naturally calls to. For most trans people we have to navigate not seeing a reflection of ourselves in the mirror.
So what makes me feel the most in my body is affirmation on all fronts. Since medically transitioning takes time; no matter what I’m do or where I go I dress to the 9’s for myself. I practice self-love.
Most of the tension in my body that I feel is in my lower back, shoulders and waist. This tension is linked to stress and not being able to relax. So I practice mindfulness.
When I’m feeling guilt or like I’m repressing my body’s desire to lean a certain way, or move my hips a certain way when I walk in a way that is feminine, I try my best to throw all that internalized guilt out the window, to live a more emotionally and physically stress-free life.
I walk with my chin-up, with stride and confidence. I wake up and look in the mirror and say I’m in love with my “spirit” and “essence”. I’ve got style in spades and now I’m going to show the world.
MOODY: Tasi is the founder of TRAN MAGAZINE. What is next for TRAN?
Tasi: We pivoted from a quarterly magazine to a bi-annual magazine. Tran Magazine real goal is to provide queer New Yorkers and TGNCs an education hub to educate themselves all that NYC queer culture has to offer from community, from nightlife to music and visual/performing arts. More importantly to share resources that many don’t realize our available to them that many non-profit queer organization provide. Healthcare, housing, financial readiness, job training, free legal support and counsel, free queer food pantries. There is so much support that isn’t accessed which is why we have re-focused our efforts towards putting up a digital site as soon as we can.
We’ve been operating all our expenses out of community fundraising and events and we’re close to the finish line.
Our digital site and print will be up and out at our launch party which will be held at Judson memorial church in May as a recognition ceremony to honor NYC’s most influential TGNCs as a fundraiser to help BTL kitchen. There will be musical performances, drag, and ballroom!
We’re operating and releasing a full-fledged magazine that touches all of queer nightlife and culture and our magazine is currently operationally run by three people, which most people don’t realize because our content is so C-U-N-T. We’re engaging the conversation sometimes around topics like drugs that can be a touchy subject for many, but those conversations are necessary. We have to say what everyone is thinking and stand for what’s right for the overall health of our community.
Stay tuned and follow @tranmagazinenyc on Instagram. Check out our LinkTree in our bio to see the resources we’ve been putting together!
Tasi: Ooooo love this question! I’m a Capricorn and an earth sign; work and ambition is my life.
I’m a model, an editor in chief, an actress a nightlife icon and also your current reigning Twinks. vs. Dolls. Most recently I’ve picked up Billard’s and to many am now considered a “pool shark”.
I can always make the first move but when others aren’t shaken by my confidence and accolades and have the nerve to make a move on me first, that’s hot to me. Most are scared of me and can’t even make direct eye contact.
As an independent self-fulfileld woman and a woman on the go! I have a pretty busy schedule. What I crave and what gets me horny is when people are specific and intentional with my time.
For most confident trans woman who do a lot of shit, we already know we’re hot! What we are is less appreciated and seen for our intelligence, humor and wit. I’m more horny and turned on when someone starts with vocalizing their attraction to other qualities besides superficial qualities like looks.
We are in NYC! Be a narcissist! Be selfish with yourself and your desire because if you are not your biggest stan—no one else will. I’m horny by people who prioritize themselves first.
Also feet, socks, piss-play, dom-sub role play, all types of role-play—and why not add public to the list! Kinks are hot! I’m not the type to be satisfied with having vanilla sex on the same position in bed.
Spice up your life! #getinthemood!
MOODY: Your party MOANS is such a safe space for many, how did it come about?
Blaize (he/him): I was brought onto the organizing team of MOANS at the tail end of last year with the specific goals of bringing more Black and Brown trans people into bathhouse spaces. Bathhouse’s, to me, are just as spiritual of a place as it is sexual. There aren’t many spaces where trans people get to comfortably be naked, sweat, dance, and heal; MOANS is that space with an aire of promiscuity, I love it!
MOODY: What do you think allies need to be more educated on when it comes to the trans experience?
Blaize: The best allies are ones who listen to their trans counterparts, those who listen to our experiences, take it in and hold it close. I think that’s really the key to being an ally, just listen and hold space, and if you have the means, share resources and knowledge it goes a long way.
MOODY: What part of nightlife do you feel most connected to when it comes to your transhood?
Blaize: There’s nothing like a grungy warehouse rave in Brooklyn, in many ways I credit the underground nightlife scene as a major role in my transition. Often times, the only spaces I feel liberated in this body is on some dance floor in the outskirts of the city. I feel most connected to myself when I’m dancing to Black electronic music, with my friends in wee hours of the night when the streets are quiet.
MOODY: What is the biggest advice you have for trans youth?
Blaize: My biggest advice for trans youth is just to keep going, keep being you. I didn’t have the language growing up to know that I was trans, and with social media’s boom it’s so beautiful to see that younger generations have the ability to see themselves and have access to information about those who came before us. Know that you are not alone, and a world without trans people will never exist so go ahead and claim ya spot!
(they/them): Embracing the fag and the dyke within, savoring that grey area, I am not one thing and I don’t try to be.
MOODY: How do you uplift your peers in the trans community?
Car: Going to trans-centered events produced BY trans people, sharing funds with the dolls, spreading knowledge and resources to those who seek them.
MOODY: What makes you feel seen?
Car: People using my they/them pronouns, T4T love & lust, Instagram stories likes, seeing and sharing space with other cool trans people living their dreams.
MOODY: Who or what most shaped you into that the person you are today?
Car: The internet probably. Without 2012 Tumblr, Ruby Rose, and "This is my voice 10 days on T" videos I might've never figured things out; and my family, who helped me medically transition and saved my life for real.