ReCharge: Transgender Resources, Books & Research

April 12, 2023 Aysha Hussain

We have collated some crucial resources today in relation to transgender identity and visibility. From resources, books and research, to video stories, blogs and articles, we have made access to this very easy for you. Please take some time to go through these and increase your own knowledge-base around trans identity and how you can be an ally. Thank you to Keychange Innovator, Saskhia Menendez for sharing your invaluable expertise and insight.

TRAP DOOR: TRANS CULTURAL PRODUCTION AND THE POLITICS OF VISIBILITY (Book)
Trans visibility is touted as a sign of a liberal society, but it has coincided with a political moment marked both by heightened violence against trans people (especially trans women of colour) and by the suppression of trans rights under civil law. Trap Door grapples with these contradictions. The essays, conversations, and dossiers gathered here delve into themes as wide-ranging yet interconnected as beauty, performativity, activism, and police brutality.

TRANS LIKE ME: A JOURNEY FOR ALL OF US (Book)
In this eye-opening book, CN Lester, academic and activist, takes us on a journey through some of the most pressing issues concerning the trans debate: from pronouns to Caitlyn Jenner; from feminist and LGBTQ activists, to the rise in referrals for gender variant children - all by way of insightful and moving passages about the author's own experience. Trans Like Me shows us how to strive for authenticity in a world which often seeks to limit us by way of labels.

DOS AND DON’TS OF WORKING WITH TRANS COLLEAGUES (Blog)
“You don’t need any special skills to support trans colleagues – we’re looking for the same basic level of respect, empathy, and tact that you would (hopefully) show to any fellow musician.”
In this blog for the Musicians’ Union, musician, writer, activist and author of "Trans Like Me" CN Lester discusses how you can better support your trans colleagues in the arts.

A TRANS COMPOSERS PLAYLIST (Music)

Politics, aesthetics, and deconstructed binaries, curated by Alex Temple
Here are nine pieces by trans composers which in some way reflect our experience of moving through the world—sometimes directly and sometimes obliquely, through text, symbolism, deconstructions of classical music’s traditional binaries, and deep dives into esoteric online subcultures.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AMONG TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS (Article)
Transgender people often encounter stigmatization, oppression, and discrimination, which can all contribute towards adverse mental health outcomes. This article will discuss mental health conditions prevalent in the trans community and provide a list of resources where people may find support.

OTHER RESOURCES:

Finding Your True Voice: A Guide to Gender-Affirming Verbal Communication (Resource)

Queering Anarchism: Addressing and Undressing Power and Desire (Book)

The Transgender Studies Reader Remix (Book)

The Transgender Issue: An Argument for Justice (Book)

Trans Mental Health Study 2012 (Research)

Transgender no longer classified as ‘mental disorder’ by World Health Organisation (Research)

Gender-congruent government identification is crucial for gender affirmation (Research)

LGBT In Britain - Health Report (Research)

Non-binary people’s experiences in the UK (Research)

Trans lives survey 2021: Enduring the UK’s hostile environment (Research)

Trans Rights Map (Resource)