One easy way to shut down the destructive lie that being transgender is a trend is to lead with the truth.
In what is the biggest year of democratic elections ever held - 24 in total - this year, the world will be reshaped.
Meanwhile, for the wider LGBTQIA+ community, 2024 will be perhaps the most pivotal year of our struggle since the HIV crisis. It could be when the erosion of our rights, particularly those of our trans and non-binary loved ones, could be both cemented and ratified.
As someone with a disability who has to fight for medications and has spent a great deal of time in hospital since I launched this publication two years ago - I'm acutely aware of how important this moment will be, not just for me - but all marginalised communities.
It can feel insurmountable at a time when the UK is consulting on banning transgender young people from some bathrooms. But I know it's possible. I sit here, truly hopeful that it will be the year we turn the tables. Why, you ask?
Our fight may be young - but since the modern queer rights movement burst at the pivotal Stonewall Riots moment, we've been on an upwards trend.
Of course, I'm not naive to the fact that in the last five years, those who hate transgender people have made progress while using tried and tested techniques to try and roll back rights and stall progress.
Along with the media and some politicians, they have ramped up rhetoric for their own purposes - from driving profits to rage clicks and fear votes.
Yet the nature of queer history is that we, too, have formed formidable ways to make change.
That's why our future needs to be grounded in our past.
We know how to win, we just need to apply our history to our future.
The power of investing in Trans+ creatives
Our whole approach is about investing in LGBTQIA+ creatives, but one example from the last year is also the perfect lesson on how we can learn from history.
Ever since trans non-binary creative Marty Davies wrote about the inherent queer history of Nazi book burnings that was denied to us in schools, something interesting has been occurring.
The article explored how one of the most infamous of these horrific events happened at the world's first gender clinic. It's little known - and yet, is a significant part of this story. One that's been deliberately denied from us thanks to laws like Section 28.
And now, this QueerAF article has become a regular tool used by people to shut down the idea we're a trend. That being trans is somehow new. It's become an accessible and, crucially, readily available tool for our community to shut down that nasty lie.
What's different about Davies' article is it does not only tell a history story. It applies learnings from that history to our present. Imagine if we had more history stories that did the same job.
Knowledge of our past is fundamental for our liberation.
It's a tried and tested concept that what's behind us shows us the way forward.
Our past shuts down some of the flimsiest dog whistles about all of the LGBTQIA+ community.
A fad, a trend, a phase? Nope.
Not when we can trace queerness and gender-diverse communities through millennia.
It's one of our most robust and radical tools to shut down the idea we're something new. To share and celebrate concrete, readily available stories of our rich and remarkable history.
Especially when we do so after immersing ourselves in the euphoria of our history.
And that's why, for our annual crowdfunding that takes place during LGBT+ History Month which began today, we're asking you to invest in a mission that we hope can change the course of the election year.
With your help, we will invest in twenty Trans+ creatives to tell Trans+ history stories and help you learn the lessons from them - that we can apply to today's fight.
Introducing Trans+ History Week
Trans+ History Week is a week-long reflective period to learn and celebrate the momentous and millennia-old history of transgender, non-binary, gender-diverse and Intersex people.
It will begin on May 06 2024 - the 91st anniversary of the Nazi raid on the world’s first trans clinic. It's the week they tried to erase Trans+ people. It's the week we will remember.
It’s a week to build on and celebrate the work that the incredible Trans+ archivers, historians and content creators are already doing, launched after consultation and with support from some of the UK's largest LGBTQIA+ organisations, trans trailblazers, elders and activists.
Trans+ History Week is a social enterprise to ensure its activity benefits the community and a QueerAF Launchpad project.
We will celebrate it with high-quality official content created by twenty Trans+ creatives, some of whom will get equipment for life so they can keep on telling our history forever and beyond.
We’re looking for an initial £5000. The sort of money gender-critical folk seem to be able to raise in a few hours.
If most of you are reading this today, give just a fiver, a tenner, or anything you can spare, we'll raise it in no time.
Why are we crowdfunding?
Last year, when I asked you to chip in to our crowdfunding efforts, it was solely to cover the costs we needed to help me recover from my multiple organ transplant. This year, despite needing to take most of January off to do the same - I'm excited to be directing our focus ahead of us.
This year's crowdfunding is solely to cover the costs (set out below) of the incredible Trans+ creatives who will create new tools in the fight for Trans+ and LGBTQIA+ liberation in the UK.
These stories and resources will come out at the beginning of May, which will either be the month of our general election - or the start of campaigning for one.
Memberships will always be the best way to support us, but right now to help QueerAF's launchpad project, Trans+ History Week our annual crowdfunder is the way to go.
Whether you’re in the third sector or not you probably know how hard it can be to generate funds for positive Trans+ initiatives.
This is why, if you’re able to help, we've set up some perks for you, including some limited QueerAF and limited edition Trans+ History Week merchandise – which you can't get anywhere else.
Ultimately, whatever you give is an investment in both QueerAF and Trans+ creatives all over the UK. Together, we can make quality Trans+ content that can shut down the lie being gender diverse is somehow new.
Imagine if we had more tools that explained the introduction the gender binary during colonialism. Ones which tell how empire and colonialism spread it across the world. Stories that explore gender non-conformity among our ancient world ancestors. Euphoria and celebrations of joy in The Weimar Republic, like at the Eldorado club?
Whatever support you're able to give us will go a long way in our investment in Trans+ creative talent in the UK who will capture, cultivate and create history in the first-ever global Trans+ History Week this year.
The budget
If we hit our stretch goals, the Trans+ audio creatives will also get professional equipment they can keep for life.
Goal One: £1000
Pay seven Trans+ writers, journalists and creatives to learn about a moment in Trans+ History. One article for each day of the inaugural Trans+ History Week.
- Goal Two: £2500
Fund seven Trans+ illustrators to turn these articles into art that captures and cultivates Trans+ history into a visual tool for change.
- Goal Three: £5000
Mentor, support, and invest in six Trans+ budding audio producers. They will weave an audio masterpiece that tells Trans+ history and helps us all learn how we can apply lessons from it to today's liberation movement. It will take learning our history right up to Pride month when the fight for our future begins.
Final thoughts
When we support creatives, we don't just want them to leave with skills, mentoring and support - but solid foundations to succeed as they go forward.
When we launched QueerAF, we wanted to be an incubator of queer talent. To find as many ways to do that, share our secrets and help queer creatives succeed.
We also decided we'd be led by the lived experience of our creatives - instead of be prescriptive over what content and passions to pursue.
Generating funding for these kinds of ambitious projects from grant funders and brands who are nervous about the 'pushback' the media has inflicted on us is tricky.
But it's crucial - and that's why our contribution to Trans+ History Week is about investing in Trans+ creatives, giving them equipment and the tools to carry on doing this work all year round.
That's why we're asking for your help this month - to help us make history.
Let's make 2024 the year we turn the tide on transphobia and end the destructive lie that being transgender is a trend.
