Transgender Day of Visibility: Three trans people share their inspiring stories
June Dawson, Kenny Ethan Jones and Charlie Craggs reflect on their experiences.
Transgender Day Of Visibility (TDOV) held each year on 31 March, is a day to celebrate, empower and educate ourselves about the lives of trans and non-binary people.
This year, amid a global pandemic that feels like it is consuming so much of our headspace – it is perhaps more important than ever.
Last year, artist Emil Lombardo – in collaboration with LGBTQ+ charity Spectra and Attitude – offered some light with the exhibition ‘Political Existences’ which tells the stories of the lives of trans and non-binary people.
The initiative, which was forced to move online due to the COVID-19 pandemic and features an extensive collection of large-scale portraits, celebrates the diversity of the transgender community, showcasing the life of transgender people from different ages, backgrounds and stories.
For the last year, Emil Lombardo has photographed a vast collection of models. But Emil in collaboration with Spectra and Attitude are proud to bring you these photographs of trans people who are proud to be out and visible.
Below are just three, but all 32 are available on Emil’s digital gallery now.
Charlie Craggs
Photography: Emil Lombardo for Spectra, in collaboration with Attitude Magazine.
Speaking for the collaboration’s launch video, Attitude Pride award winner Charlie Craggs says:
“I wish I’d been told that transition is more than the physical. So often our identities become about the physical, passing, being the buffest trans guy etc. It’s so much more, it’s about your heart and soul too.”
Kenny Ethan Jones
Photography: Emil Lombardo for Spectra, in collaboration with Attitude Magazine.
Kenny Jones, the first trans person to front a period campaign, spoke out about how they overcame toxic masculinity:
“The number one thing I realised is you don’t have to be the toxic masculinity version of manhood to be a man. as I got older and more comfortable with my identity I started to be a lot more playful.”
Juno Dawson
Photography: Emil Lombardo for Spectra, in collaboration with Attitude Magazine
Juno Dawson, the acclaimed trans author and Attitude contributor strikes an affirming note for TDOV saying:
“I used to see being transgender as a journey, something that you get over and done. But now I see it as part of my identity, I am a proud trans woman.”
Watch the video collaboration now, and see the entire digital gallery here.