Today is the beginning of the first-ever Trans+ History Week in the UK Trans+ History Weekcelebrates the history of transgender, nonbinary, gender-conforming, and intersex people. The organization QueerAF started this initiative., The initiative will involve displaying a series of billboards in major UK cities with the message “We've always been here, and we always will be,” written in all capital letters.
Marty Davies, the founder of Trans+ History Week, said that they got the idea after discovering Nazi book burnings that targeted transgender texts. Pink News “Exactly a year ago, I learned that I was denied important history about myself and my community,
” they said. “Discovering that one of the most well-known Nazi book burnings occurred at a trans clinic was a big surprise to me. It made me wonder why – if this is an image we all saw in school, what else was kept from us?”
In an essay for QueerAF, Davies wondered how learning about this history in school would have impacted them.
“Maybe if my class and I had learned that the Nazis had targeted what is recognized as the world’s first Trans+ clinic and that it was the site of one of the first of these infamous incidents, it would have signaled something to us. Attacking the Trans+ community puts you on the wrong side of history.”
“Perhaps I would have been able to accept my gender identity as a child. Perhaps I would have felt comfortable sharing that with my friends or finding community and support with other Trans+ children.
According to Davies, denying people their history also denies them their humanity. “If we deny people their history, we deny them their humanity. Writing about this moment led me to further explore and make our history accessible to everyone. Pink NewsDavies also stressed the importance of transgender individuals being able to share their own stories, as others often speak about them without truly listening. “We have created a space for all of us to confidently embrace our present while holding onto our past. Using this knowledge to strengthen us as we create a better future.
In addition to the billboard campaign, the week includes a series of events featuring transgender creators. In March, QueerAF also introduced an
educational workbook . Those interestedcan also sign up to receive a history article each day for the week. “If we deny people their history, we deny them their humanity.”
