Trans people express what they love about themselves in video for Transgender Day of Visibility

‘No boundaries, no restrictions, no rules’

Sabrina Barr
Friday 30 March 2018 12:19 EDT
Comments
GLAAD releases 'I Love Being Trans Because...' video for Transgender Day of Visibility

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

The world can be a very judgemental place, so it’s only natural that you may find yourself thinking about how other people perceive you.

However, the only opinion that you should ever truly be concerned with is your own.

To mark the International Transgender Day of Visibility tomorrow, GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) has released a video of multiple trans people sharing the things that they love most about themselves.

The International Transgender Day of Visibility was founded in 2009 and occurs every year on March 31.

It was created by transgender activist Rachel Crandall Crocker as a way of celebrating the transgender people, as she felt that other days connected with trans folk were typically associated with loss in the community.

The video released by GLAAD features several people who identify as trans expressing why their love their identities in their entireties.

“I love being trans because there’s no one else in the world quite like me,” says Shea Diamond a singer/songwriter who was born in Arkansas.

“I love being trans because I’m not forced to be in a box where I don’t belong.”

Sir Knight, a transgender creative who grew up in Maryland, feels that he is able to live as his authentic, true self.

“No boundaries, no restrictions, no rules other than ones that I create and make for myself,” he says.

Alok Vaid-Menon is a gender non-conforming writer, educator and performance artist with more than 70,000 followers on Facebook.

“I’ve been able to create my own narrative, tell my own story and not have to subscribe to other people’s ideas of normal or other people’s ideas of beauty,” Vaid-Menon explains.

“Every day is a journey to becoming the person I know myself to be.”

Micah Prussack, a campaigns intern at GLAAD, feels that being trans has provided the tools to mould an identity, as opposed to accepting one that society has offered.

“Being trans means that I made myself and that the world didn’t make me, even if that requires going up against some of the most powerful cultural institutions in the world.”

Devin Lowe, an intersectional activist of trans experience, explained the importance of highlighting positivity within the transgender community.

“A lot of times when we’re talking about trans issues we’re always focusing on the negative, but there’s so much positivity that comes from being trans as well,” he says.

Trans people are being encouraged to use the hashtag #ILoveBeingTransBc and to tag @GLAAD on social media to share what they love about themselves.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in