Trans Visibility
- Sarah Tuttle
- Mar 29, 2024
- 2 min read
Happy Poetry Friday! Today we're hosted by Tricia over at The Miss Rumphius Effect. Head on over to her post for a gentle poem of mourning and other poetry treasures.
The International Transgender Day of Visibility is this weekend, on March 31. Happy day!!! Let this be your periodic reminder that I am polygender ... which I insist on saying out loud every so often, because I can.
Did you participate in the Trans Rights Readathon this year? It technically runs March 22-29, but... the beautiful thing about a decentralized event is that you can make a version that works for you-- and if that means you participate by reading, sharing, or celebrating a trans story in the future... or just quietly donating a few dollars to the trans rights organization of your choice... have at it! Need an idea? Check out the Trans Rights Readathon website for book lists, charities, and a really fun reading bingo challenge!
Also, let's take this moment to hype The Queer Liberation Library-- a free ebook and audiobook resource available via the Libby App and Overdrive to anyone in the United States. They curate an amazing selection of queer titles, and are providing a massive service to our community-- especially those who can't safely access these books locally.
And now, a poem for you! It's still a draft, but it makes sense to me to share it this week. Happy reading, and celebrating!
MY WORD
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My word took some time to find—
took sifting through sale racks
entering countless dressing rooms
trying on anything that might kind of fit
hoping to find a definition
that I could slip into
and feel fabulous wearing.
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My word was hiding in a
a color-coded lexicon
with subheading wormholes to
specifically tailored dimensions
where no-size-fits-all me
found it, finally.
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My word isn’t well-travelled.
It doesn’t fit any one else I know,
or magically create community.
But it does cling to me just right.
It’s loose where I need to move freely,
tight where I need support.
It has weathered several closet clean outs,
and mixes and matches perfectly with
other letters I keep finding
buried in doom piles
I’m still sorting through.
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One day,
my word might be the subject
of a phrase.
 ~ Sarah Grace Tuttle