Affirmations from the book 'Surviving Transphobia'

Affirmations from Surviving Transphobia. ed. Laura A. Jacobs. Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2023.

"I was not at fault for the shortcomings of others, and neither are you. Don’t forget self-discipline and accountability, but don’t confuse them with a society coercing you to be someone other than who you are."
— Pooya Mohseni, “Them, Me, You”

"I have spent 30 years in the body of a woman, and 16 years in the body of a man. (The man is catching up, but the woman had a head start.) This bridge, this liminal space, is something I feel in my body. When we go to war with each other in the world, I feel it inside of my body. 'Us and them.' I can find no easy 'us' and 'them' divisions within my body. Everything is woven together. There is no division without ripping the threads that bind us together, that bind me together."
— Mashuq Mushtaq Deen, “Liminal Spaces"

"Being trans is a magical way of existing in the world that allows me to tap into a force that is beyond what most people can even imagine. My strength and confidence come from knowing that I am living my truth. Owning my identity has given my life meaning and purpose. And it’s something that I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world."
— Chris Mosier, “Running, Away and To”

"So much of being trans involves holding multiple things that may not obviously go together, but each can be true. There’s a humanization here. I am both Catholic and trans. I am both a psychologist and a physician. I am both binary and nonbinary. I can have a Two Spirit guide even when outsiders may not understand. None of these cancels another out. I sometimes intuitively tell myself, ‘You can’t be this because you're that.’ But where did I get that notion? These limiting ideas come from colonization and the politics of fear and run contrary to many Indigenous teachings that trans, nonbinary, and Two Spirit people are sacred. We do not owe anyone an explanation of our truth, and our truth does not have to make sense to anyone except ourselves."
— Colt St. Amand, "Both/And"

"We need community for reflection, for the mess, and for the reminders of words still unknown. And whenever you do find your words, whatever they may be, you will always be more than them. You are vibrant, alive, and always changing."
— Lexie Bean, "When I Didn’t Have the Words"

---

I read Surviving Transphobia the day it came out, and I appreciated it.

I write essays about transphobia.