Last year we put out an open call for submissions for the first Trans Survivors Zine and we’re delighted to now share the final publication with you. This zine was put together by trans and non-binary volunteers who run the Trans Survivors Project.
Our Trans Survivors Project holds community-led spaces for trans and non-binary people, especially those who have experienced violence or abuse. Typically we have a craft table at our groups, and quickly it became apparent that we have an incredible depth of talent and expression in the community. We decided to create a zine to showcase our gifts and our voices.
We put out an open call for submissions and held a workshop to create pieces together. Many of the pieces in the zine were inspired by a body-mapping exercise we carried out during the workshop. We all chose something from the craft table in front of us which spoke to how we felt in our bodies. Items that people picked up included masking tape, rubber bands, particular colour pens and paints, see-through plastic and tracing paper. Everybody seized something different for different reasons, and we set about creating something that would capture our bodies and our trans experiences.
Other pieces were inspired by the zine library that was available at the workshop, and yet more were submitted outside of the workshop. The zine explores self-image, self-love, touch, intimacy, being trans in public, transformation, survival and much more.
Content Warning: Some of the pieces in the zine refer to transphobia, transmisogyny, homophobia, violence and threat and trauma. There are no graphic descriptions of violence in the zine.
If you’d like to make your own zine, all you need is a sheet of A4 paper, some way to mark it and some scissors. Check out the instructions here.