Happy trans day of visibility!
When I first started understanding myself is nonbinary, I felt a lot of pressure about getting it right, especially the external stuff – figuring out style and presentation, possible medical stuff, where/when/ways to come out, which pronouns were the right fit, etc. I didn’t want to confuse people or embarrass myself by changing my mind or getting it ‘wrong.’ I wanted to have easy to understand answers for everyone’s questions.
But there’s no right or efficient or ideal way to come to know yourself and share that with others. We’re always learning and becoming, so it’s all changing anyways. Our only job is to the be present, curious, and hold ourselves with kindness and respect.
Today is Trans Day of Visibility. It’s scary to be visible as a nonbinary person, and it’s incredible and peaceful to be seen for who I am. Do you know what I mean?
When I talk to you about my gender (ie, ‘come out’), it means I love you and I hope we can be ourselves around other, even if it’s risky (visibility without love is an exposed place to be).
It’s not trans visibility that is so confronting, but it’s that it instantly makes visible the narrow and convoluted ideas of binary gender we’re all raised with.
There are people to whom I am visible as nonbinary, but they don’t/can’t/won’t see me this way.
It asks all of us who we are, and celebrates our capacity for change and telling the truth. Scary, thrilling stuff.
Trans visibility gives us ALL the pleasure of and responsibility for our lives.
To all who see and are seen — happy trans day of visibility 🤍🩷🩵
ps. today is the last day to join us on Patreon for this month’s art rewards. The New Art Print is “Good decisions” shown at the top of this email, and the sticker is this lovely spring art below, which celebrates welcoming everything, that radical acceptance that sets us free.
pps. We’re updating prices and retiring prints! Shop the full collection at the old prices for just a little longer. Just for you newsletter friends: use GOODCHANGE20 for 20% off prints as we prep for the update.