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60+ years of activism. 120+ years of research.
The Transgender Archives at the 番茄社区 Libraries is committed to the preservation of the history of pioneering activists, community leaders, and researchers who have contributed to the betterment of Trans+ people. We are accessible to everyone, free of charge.
Our collections comprise the largest Trans+ archives in the world.
Since 2007, we have been actively acquiring documents, rare publications, and memorabilia of persons and organizations associated with activism by and for Trans+ people. We officially launched in late Fall 2011.
Our records:
- span over 160 meters or 530 linear feet (1.5 football fields long),
- go back over 120 years, and
- are in 15 languages from 23 countries on six continents.
We acknowledge and respect the lək̓ʷəŋən peoples on whose territory the university stands and the Songhees, Esquimalt and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day.
| DOWNLOAD OUR BROCHURE | DOWNLOAD OUR BOOK |
Word of Mouth is a digital exhibit showcasing the Trans Activism Oral History collection. It tells some of the story about how Trans+ communities and networks developed in North America throughout the latter half of the twentieth century.
The Trans Activism Oral History collection is a project of the . The collection consists of video and audio interviews, collected 2019-2020, with Trans+ activist elders and allies from across North America.
The FTM Newsletter was created by Lou Sullivan and first published in 1987. It became the most widely circulated & highly respected publication exploring transmasculine experiences. All 67 issues are now available online.
Transvestia was the first widely distributed magazine focused on the cross-dressing community. All 111 issues (1960-1986) are now digitized and available online!
Starting in 1964, the Erickson Educational Foundation (EEF), a philanthropic organization funded by Reed Erickson, published newsletters, pamphlets, and books.
From 1971-1982, 13 scrapbooks were compiled from newspaper & magazine clippings published in the UK. The content relates to gender & sexual identity and is organized in thought-provoking, and sometimes humorous, ways.
Founded by Merissa Sherrill Lynn, Transgender Tapestry is a magazine published from 1979-2008 by the Tiffany Club and then the International Foundation for Gender Education (IFGE). While we hold all physical copies, the Digital Transgender Archive has all issues available online.
We at the Transgender Archives thank our partners at the Digital Transgender Archive (DTA) for digitizing nearly 800 of our physical items and for making them available online. View our items on the DTA website.
The Digital Transgender Archive provides a centralized hub for trans-related historical materials, including born-digital materials, and materials contributed by independent projects.
Our newest collections
Check out our physical collections, including our newest donations from Aiyyana Maracle (1950-2016) and Red Jordan Arobateau (1943-2021), plus many more.
Featured material
In The Transgender Archives: Foundations for the Future you can read about some of the history of trans activism and research, learn about how the Transgender Archives got started, and see a few highlights from our collections.
- Download the 2016 book (PDF)
- Download the 2014 book (PDF)
- Print copies are available by donation; contact us to order.
The Transgender Archives: Foundations for the Future was chosen as a finalist in LGBT nonfiction.
Transgender Archives
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Moving Trans History Forward 2023
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Moving Trans History Forward 2021
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Moving Trans History Forward 2018
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Moving Trans History Forward 2016
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Moving Trans History Forward 2014
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