TRANSGENDER
Queerly Trans Representation and Pride Month
#12 The Quintessentials
Queerly Trans: Because trans does not equal straight!
In this Update (click on links):
- June Showcase — Queerly Trans Representation
- From the Editor (KP)
- Writing Prompts
- Quick Guidelines Overview
Quintessential June Writer’s Showcase:
Welcome to our June Writer’s Quintessential Showcase.
We asked out Queerly Trans writers to submit their favorite posts celebrating queerly trans representation so that we could gather them here in our first monthly WRITER’S SHOWCASE.
These articles are MUST READS as selected by the authors themselves! They share knowledge, insights, and entertainment that the authors know you’ll enjoy and perhaps, need to hear.
Read. Enjoy. And perhaps you’ll even find some new favorite authors to follow on Medium.
‘He has Brown Hair, and He’s Transgender, and Gay: Two of my favorite gay trans representations in books,’ by KP_the_writer
What am I missing? I want to see more representation. I want to read every book, watch every movie, listen to every podcast. For now though, let me share with you my favorite queerly trans representation in book form. Actually, I have two to share: Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas and The Changeling Prophecy by Lionel Hart.
‘A Sensual Queer Trans Experience Through the Poetry of La Espiritista: Poems affirming the spiritual power of our love as a people,’ by Logan Silkwood
As I sat in a darkened room, watching La Espiritista, a queer, trans, non-binary Latinx poet speak passionately about love, I was still processing my own grief in losing the support of so many family members in response to having shared my own queer transness.
‘A BDSM Novel Starring a Gay Trans Guy: Queer trans representation in BDSM play’, by Sieran Lane
In all the fiction that I’ve read, rarely do I see sex scenes that feature trans characters, let alone affirming ones. What’s even rarer are BDSM stories told from a trans perspective. That’s why I treasure Sex in C Major by Matthew J. Metzger (external Amazon link) so much. The author is a gay trans man, and so is the story protagonist, Stefan.
‘A Loss for the Queer Community: A quick word in memory of Urvashi Vaid’, by Jymi Cliche
I don’t know if the younger generation of queer people understand that Generation X didn’t have very many queer role models. I knew of Elton John, Melissa Ethridge, KD Lang, Rock Hudson, and David Bowie. There were no movies about gay people unless we were the butt of the joke or murdered or something. We had “The Birdcage” and “To Wong Foo” for positive gay movies. The closest thing to a lesbian movie was probably “Fried Green Tomatoes,” which was even less gay than the book, which wasn’t that gay, to begin with.
SNEAK PEAK: July Quintessential Showcase
This month, we are calling for fiction! Yes, that’s right. We’ll ask our writers to share with you their favorite fiction… written by them! It may be a poem, a short story, or maybe even a book chapter. It’s going to be a fun one so if you haven’t already, make sure you follow and subscribe to be notified when the Quintessentials is live!
QT writers — watch out for the Quintessentials on the 16th for your invitation to submit to our July showcase.
From the Editor
HAPPY PRIDE MONTH Y’ALL
It’s that time of the year when everything turns from beige, greys, and the occasional fashionable pop of color, to ALL THE RAINBOW and I love it! Last year, was my first pride month as a community member and it went by pretty much unnoticed. I still hadn’t figured out, well, anything. Now, I’m much closer to knowing who I am and though labels are sleeves (which are bullshit), they are still useful during that confusing state of working self out. So, I’m an androsexual (I just say gay AF) trans masc enby who has been on low dose T for 8 months. This year, I have many reasons to embrace pride month. Man, I cannot wait for my first pride festival! What does pride month mean to you?
REPRESENTATION STARTS HERE
The small number of inclusions in this showcase proves the very point on which this showcase was created — there isn’t enough Queerly Trans representation out there! I, KP_the_writer, vow to create more wonderful queerly trans content to spread throughout the world, to reach those who need to be seen and need to know they are not alone! It will be my legacy!
We hope you enjoy our second showcase. On the first of every month, we’ll share with you a new showcase of wonderful reads from our writers as selected by them. Make sure you check it out as our showcases include posts you won’t find on Queerly Trans — these are the stories our writers want you to read, the ones they know you’ll love or maybe, that you need to read.
Don’t forget to check out the latest Friday Highlights from Logan Silkwood
-KP
Queerly Trans Writing Prompts:
How to Write for Us
Are you Queerly Trans? Then you have a story to share and this is the platform where we invite you to do just that.
Don’t forget to join our Facebook group and SUPPORT AND UPLIFT EACH OTHER!
Jymi Cliche, Kristy Westaway, Ayven Alexander, Justice Faye Dazzle, Jenny Starr, Logan Silkwood, Victoria Quinn, Nova Grace, Kitty Whitemore, locke besse, Amber Poe, Mx. Marie Chase Lewis (They/She), Michelle Paquette, Anabelle Weissinger, Sieran Lane, Alistair J. Kraft, Jaz Joyner, Kai Arden, Stephenie Magister, Kai Stowers.