Trans 4 Trans
Avi Deep
How can I celebrate the joy of being trans?
Trans 4 Trans (T4T) is a collection that celebrates being trans, with an emphasis on community and memories. The project is grounded in dozens of interviews I conducted with trans people. T4T is an acronym that refers to trans people in search of fellow trans people for relationships, friendships, hook-ups, flings, or anything else. Above all, I want to show that trans people deeply love and support one another.
Being transgender has never been easy, considering the blend of gender dysphoria and transphobia. Our rights—to transition or even exist—are constantly under attack, and perhaps there is nowhere in the world that feels perfect. For me, the greatest benefit of being trans is the community that we create, especially somewhere like New York City.
Trans 4 Trans consists of three projects: a zine, a series of posters, and a collection of animated vignettes. The zine features hand-drawn comics based on trans people’s memories from relationships, along with excerpts from their interviews reflecting on the experience of being T4T. The posters celebrate being T4T through illustrations and people’s quotes. Lastly, the animations share moments of quiet joy and gender euphoria, such as taking your first testosterone shot or getting a haircut in a friend’s living room.
More than anything, this thesis aims to emphasize the vibrant stories and memories that our community has to share and to highlight the trans experience beyond our suffering.