The 2025 Trans+ history workbook has taken 80+ hours of research by a team of researchers and writers led by Lead Researcher, Gray Burke-Stowe, aiming to spotlight the forgotten lessons we can learn from Trans+ history amid the increasing attack on trans, non-binary and intersex people. This year it's been produced by QueerAF who mentored four Trans+ writers to deliver it.
Instagram | QueerAF Trans+ History Week Hub | Original Launch article
12 February, London, UK - Trans+ History Week CIC and QueerAF have today launched their highly anticipated downloadable Workbook, designed to spotlight and celebrate overlooked Trans+ history. Developed through 80+ hours of research led by Gray Burke-Stowe, the workbook showcases powerful lessons from history while challenging harmful narratives about the Trans+ community in politics, media, and society.
It is now available at https://www.wearequeeraf.com/dotheworkbook/
As part of Trans+ History Week’s broader mission, the workbook helps reclaim the millennia-old history of transgender, non-binary, gender-diverse, and intersex people. With trans+ rights under attack—marked by a 503% rise in LGBT hate crimes in the UK since 2011 and a 72% increase in suicide attempts among trans minors in the US—this initiative is more urgent than ever. Last year alone, at least 350 trans+ people were murdered globally in what TGEU calls a “significant increase.”
To refute the harmful narratives, Trans+ History Week has partnered with award-winning independent publisher QueerAF to produce the workbook as well as pay and mentor four Trans+ writers—Adam Khan (they/them), Ella Osho (she/her), William Elisabeth Cuthbert (they/he), and Sabah Choudrey (they/he)—to research and tell these stories. Their work brings lived experience and historical depth to four key lessons:
- Lesson 1: We’ve always been here”: The Māhū people have always held an honoured space in Hawai’ian and Tahitian culture
- Lesson 2: “We can’t be erased”: Ballroom is more than a location or an event – it’s an identity that strengthens those who find their home there
- Lesson 3: “We’re stronger together”: Lynn Conway revolutionised the technology that brings us all together on the internet. She was also responsible for fortifying bonds within our community
- Lesson 4: “We’re more than Trans+”: Roberta Cowell was an RAF pilot who survived a Nazi prisoner of war camp and used her platform as a motorsport driver to progress Trans+ rights
Marty Davies (she/they) (Founder of Trans+ History Week CIC) said: “The workbook is the most important artefact we produce each year. In place of a theme, we have four lessons that we illuminate each year with fresh stories from our history. We’re releasing it ahead of Trans+ History Week to inspire the world to mark the week in their own way, using these four stories as an easy and robust guide to do just that.
“It’s never been more important to share the truth that ‘we’ve always been here and always will be’ to dismantle the modern myth that we’re new. We’re not, we are as old as time. Getting geeky about history helps us in our fight against efforts to delegitimise and erase us. Trans+ people are as enduring as the sun in the sky and the earth beneath our feet. So let’s make sure our history reaches politicians that are persecuting us and our Trans+ youth who may be feeling hopeless and alone with a message that they belong.”
Jamie Wareham (he/him) (Founder of QueerAF CIC) said: “There are few silver bullets in doing stories justice and getting media representation right, but investing in talent from the communities you are creating content about gets pretty close. There is a vast lack of representation of Trans+ people in the media, but what we see every week at QueerAF is how vast the talent pools are of creative talent in the Trans+ community.
“The creatives who we mentored to produce this workbook, brought a unique perspective that we couldn’t have got from anywhere else, and that’s what makes the history lessons contained within so rich. And ultimately, they all hammer home our timeless message: We’ve always been here, and always will be.”
Last year, the Workbook inspired organisations like Warner Bros. Discovery, Hackney Museum, and Proud Studios to host events celebrating Trans+ history. With this new edition, Trans+ History Week aims to empower even more people to reclaim and share their own stories.
For more information and to download the Workbook, visit wearequeeraf.com/dotheworkbook
ABOUT TRANS+ HISTORY WEEK CIC
Trans+ History Week 05–11 May 2025
Trans+ History Week CIC is a Trans+ led nonprofit, social enterprise and QueerAF launchpad project – founded in 2024 by Marty Davies. It exists to popularise the newly created global awareness week: Trans+ History Week – taking place 05–11 May 2025 and Trans+ History Day which takes place on 06 May. It 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. The organisation creates content and hosts events and exhibitions that reflect on history and surface learnings for our present to secure a better future.
ABOUT QUEERAF CIC
QueerAF CIC is an award-winning independent publisher launching the careers of emerging and underrepresented LGBTQIA+ creatives with mentoring and commissioning schemes. It is the only both regulated and non-profit LGBTIQA+ publisher in the UK. QueerAF launchpad projects facilitate, mentor and support LGBTQIA+ creatives to create their own original projects as part of a broader mission to improve media and creative industries' representation of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Notes to editors:
What do we mean by the term ‘Trans+’
We’ve used the term ‘Trans+’ to be inclusive of the many ways people describe and define their relationship to their own gender or absence of gender. This term is inclusive of transgender, non-binary, genderqueer, genderfluid, bigender, gender non-conforming and agender people - or indeed inclusive of any of the other ways people define their gender. This term is also inclusive of intersex people who have natural diversity in sex characteristics.
What official content will be available with QueerAF during Trans+ History Week 05–11?
Trans+ History Week ran an open commissioning scheme in January and February to find and champion emerging Trans+ writers, illustrators and audio producers.Throughout the week, twenty emerging Trans+ creatives - who’ve been supported, given audio equipment to keep, and mentored by the founder of QueerAF, Jamie Wareham, across multiple commissioning schemes. They will share their stories as they spotlight global Trans+ history stories and will be available by signing up for the QueerAF newsletter.
Clifford Chance, Verizon Business are headline sponsors for a second year.
Publicis Groupe UK is our Creative Talent Sponsor.
The initiative has also been supported since launch by some of the largest LGBTQIA+ and Trans+ organisations and media since its launch including: Gendered Intelligence, UK Black Pride, LGBT+ History Month, Not A Phase, Trans Pride Manchester, London Trans+ Pride, Trans Pride Brighton, Hidayah LGBT, Just Like Us, LGBT Foundation, Trans Actual UK, DIVA, Queer Britain, Switchboard LGBT+, My Genderation, myGwork and LGBT Consortium.
Marty Davies is available for interviews and media about the initiative, Pride Campaigns and why learning about Trans+ history is so important
Jen Longstaff, Arcus UK Co-Chair the Clifford Chance LGBTQ+ network who will host this year's main Trans+ History Week event says:
“We are honoured to support Trans+ History Week as it aligns with our commitment to fostering an inclusive environment that respects and celebrates diversity. We are honoured to be part of this event as we recognise the importance of acknowledging and understanding the rich history and contributions of the trans and non-binary community. This support is a testament to our dedication to promote equality, both within our firm and the wider community. We believe that engaging with and supporting such events can help to educate and inspire, fostering a culture of inclusivity that benefits everyone.”
