Transgender Awareness Week is celebrated the 13 – 19 of November prior to Transgender Day of Remembrance on Monday 20 of November.
What is Trans Awareness Week?
This week is about taking action to bring attention to the public about who transgender people are, sharing stories, experiences, and tackling issues surrounding prejudice, discrimination and violence faced by those within the transgender community.
There’re some great resources to be found through the library to enrich your understanding of the Trans and broader LGBTQIA+ community. Whether you’re looking for content that you feel seen and represented by, or if you’re an ally looking to expand your understanding – at YPRL we proudly hold space in our great collection both physically and digitally for the community to explore!
Celebrating this Trans Week of Awareness can be as easy as:
- Grabbing a coffee with a trans person in your life that’s special to you to check in with them.
- Reading a book by a trans author (amazing books listed further down!)
- Watching a documentary or film featuring and celebrating trans folks
- Learn more about the importance of pronouns, bonus points if you get crafty to create your own pronouns pins or some for those you love!
- Looking at ways that you can celebrate gender diversity within your workplace, school, or home.
Minus18 has extensive resources and opportunities on their website to help you continue your research and find new ways to engage with the LGBTQIA+ community, whether it be through mentorship, volunteering, finding an event to attend, hosting an event and more.
Online Resources for Trans Folks, LGBTQIA+ and Allies:
Black Rainbow: Originally established with a focus on suicide prevention, Black Rainbow is now a national social enterprise in the pursuit of positive health and wellbeing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQIA+SB.
Transcend Australia: Discover the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services and community groups supporting, affirming and celebrating gender diversity across their country.
LGBTQ Reads: A great online catalogue to find exclusively queer book content, ranging from poetry, YA, to extensive subgenres for all age-groups!
Minus18: An Australian based organization championing for inclusion and empowerment of queer youth. Find events, learning resources, training for schools and workplaces and more!
LGBTQIA+ Services: Find a great list of health and support services, social groups and information through Banyule Youth Services.
Rainbow Network: Search an extensive directory for a range of service types in your area from mental health support, trans and gender diverse information packages, find specified resources for people of colour from the LGBTQIA+ community, to peer support groups and more.
Rainbow Door: Free specialist LGBTIQ+ helpline providing information, support, and referral to all LGBTIQ+ Victorians, their friends and family.
Amazing Books by Transgender Authors:
Supporting Trans People of Colour : how to make your practice inclusive by Sabah Choudrey
This book provides an accessible and authoritative introduction to including trans people of colour and uses case studies, tips, checklists and interviews to set out best practice for creating safer inclusive spaces, representation, support, training and awareness in any organisation or setting, or for any professional working with trans people of colour.
The Awesome Autistic Guide for Trans Teens by Yenn Purkis
Calling all awesome autistic trans teens! Yenn Purkis and Sam Rose want you to live your best authentic life - and this handy book will show you how! With helpful explanations, tips and activities, plus examples of famous trans and gender divergent people on the autism spectrum, this user-friendly guide will help you to navigate the world as an awesome autistic trans teen.
Pageboy: a memoir by Elliot Page
Also available as eBook (Libby), eAudio (Libby), eBook (BorrowBox).
As he navigated criticism and abuse from some of the most powerful people in Hollywood, a past that snapped at his heels, and a society dead set on forcing him into a binary, Elliot often stayed silent, unsure of what to do, until enough was enough. Full of behind the scenes details and intimate interrogations on sex, love, trauma, and Hollywood, Pageboy is the story of a life pushed to the brink.
Girl, transcending: becoming the woman I was born to be by AJ Clementine
AJ Clementine always knew she was a girl. The problem was, she'd been born in a 'magical' shell that looked, on the outside, like a perfect little boy. In her teens, this conflict between her outer and inner selves exploded, igniting years of anxiety and panic attacks. In Girl, Transcending, AJ shares the journey of her gender transition, what it was like to grow up Wasian in a blended family, and her transformation into a model, digital creator and transgender advocate.
Gender explorers: our stories of growing up trans and changing the world by Juno Roche
Also available as eAudio (Borrow Box), Audiobook (MP3).
In this life-affirming, heartening and refreshing collection of interviews, young trans people offer valuable insight and advice into what has helped them to flourish and feel happy in their experience of growing up trans. Speaking openly and candidly about their gender, their experiences of coming out, their aspirations, and their fears, accompanied by interviews and support from their parents and carers. This book is beautiful proof of the potential for trans children to live rich and fulfilling lives when given the support and love they need.