The annual Trans Rights Readathon starts this Friday (21st March) and runs until Trans Day of Visibility on 31st March. This is its third year. The aim is to encourage people to read books written by and/or featuring trans, nonbinary, 2spirit, and gender nonconforming authors and characters. The other goal is to raise money for trans causes around the world.
I wasn't going to take part this year, partly because I'm a painfully slow reader and partly because in the first year I took part I only got 4 donations and last year I only got a single donation.
But the new Queensland state government has blocked access to stage one (puberty blockers) and stage two (hormone therapy) for patients under 18 in the QLD public health system. This has impacted 491 patients across the state.
In response Project 491 has been set up by Australian Professional Association for Trans Health (AusPath) to try and raise money to help facilitate access to vital gender affirming care for QLD's trans youth.
So I'm doing this year's Trans Rights Readathon after all to try and raise some money for Project 491. Hopefully I'll get more than one donation this year.
