About

Trans people have become increasingly prominent in public conversation in recent years, often in the form of anti-trans movements or trans antagonism. But, before we were the subjects of headlines and anti-trans legislation, we were still here, finding ways to survive, often in community with one another. And we are still here, still practicing caring, creative, and sometimes even joyful resistance. 

In a scholarly and media environment where much attention is placed on our suffering, this project aims to explore the ways that trans people care for one another and experience trans joy. It begins from the proposal that these threads of care and joy exemplify trans resilience and community-building in the face of— and perhaps in response to— trans antagonism and inequality. When trans people house one another, give to each other's crowdfunds, teach one another on places like Reddit, and more, I suggest that we are carving out space and relationships in which our existence is not merely tolerated but celebrated. I further propose that these and other forms of community support are distinctly political. This premise leads to three sets of questions guiding this project: 

In answering these questions, I combine theoretical work with community-engaged, queer (auto)ethnographic research. For the latter, I will be conducting a series of semi-structured interviews with trans people in BC to discuss how, if at all, they experience trans joy and community care. I will also be drawing on insight from my own experiences as a trans nonbinary person. If you are interested in being interviewed for this research, please see the consent and eligibility pages on this site. 

This study is being run out of UBC. The lead researcher is Addye Susnick. The primary investigator is Afsoun Afsahi. You can find contact information for the research team and for the Office of Research Ethics in either consent form.