#transjoy

our Youth Voices (amazing young LGBTQ+ activists from across the country) are finishing up their culminating projects, but some of them need help from y'all:

🟣 Andrew (16, he/him, CA) is curating a diverse collection of creative works centered on Queer Mental Health to be featured on imi.guide, seeking submissions across all artistic mediums - including visual arts, monologues, fashion design, and multimedia projects. Submit art at tinyurl.com/qmharchive

🟣 Bekah (16, he/him, CA) is compiling a Trans Book of Joy - a collection of memoir style stories from trans youth ages 13-19, about times they have experienced trans joy. Tell your story at tinyurl.com/transbookofjoy

🟣 Marshall (16, he/him, TX) is creating a digital Archive of Trans Items - a collection of items, objects and clothing that are special to transgender and gender-nonconforming people of all backgrounds and diverse gender identities. Upload a pic of your object at tinyurl.com/transitemarchive

(remember that these projects are curated for LGBTQ+ youth by LGBTQ+ youth, so all submissions should be appropriately SFW)

Best known for her role in Xena: Warrior Princess, which made her a cultural icon for many fans, Lucy Lawless is also a longtime LGBTQ+ ally who has spoken out against violence and discrimination toward queer people.

In a 2021 interview with Collider, she described the mistreatment of LGBTQ+ individuals as “unacceptable,” adding:

“People are queer, straight, or whatever they are from before they’re even born. To treat them as less than, sending those messages—implicitly or explicitly—from such an early age, that’s a form of violence to me.”

Thanks Lucy Lawless, you're awesome! 😃💜👍🏻

My piece for submission to the softboysclub_ / softpublishing zine for "Rest and Resistance Zine".

I couldn't wait to share this one. I've been holding off making Taíno art for worrying my art wasn't good enough or some invisible barrier of perfection. But overcoming that little voice to just make the art reflect me, as it is meant to anyways. Celebrating how much culture and people are. I've been focusing on the Mexican side for awhile but I want to get better about depicting my Puerto Rican side and not be so anxious.

So just as Resting and Resistance is important, so is embracing all sides of ones self. This is how I will rest, the way my ancestors did. Full of love and light for myself and my people.

Joy acts like a buffer that can soften the impacts of stress. When you’re feeling joyful, your body releases chemicals that help reduce feelings of stress and pain. For transgender and nonbinary folks, we experience higher levels of stress due to societal challenges. As such, finding joy can be a powerful tool in maintaining mental and physical health.