Colorado Voices: Transgender Day of Visibility

♪ [MUSIC PLAYING] >> PEOPLE ARE WHO THEY ARE, AND YOU DESERVE TO BE LOVED YOU DESERVE TO BE SEEN FULLY IN WHO YOU ARE BECAUSE OF THAT.

>> THIS ONE IS CALLED SO YOUR KID IS NON-BINARY, I GAVE IT TO MY DAD TO SAY HERE ARE SOME IDEAS... THAT WAS KIND OF THE MOMENT WHEN I STARTED TO FEEL THE MOST LIKE I KNEW WHO I WAS.

LIKE I CAN BE BOTH.

AND IT MAKES ME FEEL SO MUCH BETTER.

IT MADE ME FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE IN MY SKIN EVERY DAY SEEING THEM LIVE WHICH MAKES ME WANT TO CONTINUE, HOPEFULLY WILL MAKE SOMEBODY ELSE WANT TO CONTINUE.

>> THERE'S A LOT MORE TO LIFE THAN THE BLACK AND WHITE.

♪ [MUSIC PLAYING] >> MORE THAN 2 MILLION PEOPLE LIVING IN THE UNITED STATES ARE TRANSGENDER OR NON-BINARY AND MARCH 31 MARKS A DAY TO CELEBRATE EACH ONE OF THOSE LIVES AND RECOGNIZE THE COURAGE IT TAKES TO LIVE OPENLY AND AUTHENTICALLY.

>> HAVING DAYS OF VISIBILITY, SPECIFICALLY TRANSGENDER DAY OF VISIBILITY, HELPS THE WORLD ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YES WE DO EXIST AND WE ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE, WE'RE JUST REGULAR PEOPLE.

AND BEING VISIBLE IS ACKNOWLEDGING THAT.

>> FOR TRANSGENDER DAY OF VISIBILITY THIS YEAR, WE WANT TO SUPPORT NORMALIZING THIS CONVERSATION BY SHARING THESE VOICES AND STORIES FROM AROUND COLORADO.

>> MY NAME IS FINN BENHAM AND I LIVE IN GRAND JUNCTION BUT I WORK IN FRUITA AT SKIPS FARM TO MARKET.

WE JUST FINISHED THREE PERFORMANCES IN PALISADE OF A PLAY THAT I WROTE WITH MY FRIENDS KIM AND VALERIE NUZZO.

IT'S CALLED JOHNNY JANE.

>> THAT WAS THE LAST STRAW FOR MY PARENTS.

I'D GONE TOO FAR IN THIS WHOLE PLAYING WITH BOYISHNESS THING AND I NEVER SAW THEIR FACES IN THE AUDIENCE AGAIN.

BUT ANGEL WAS THERE.

HE WAS THERE WHEN KIDS TOOK ME OUTBACK AFTERWARDS AND CALLED ME TOMBOY, BUTCH KID, GIRL BOY, JOHNNY JANE.

JOHNNY JANE IS A PLAY ABOUT OTHERING AND UNOTHERING.

KIM NUZZO PLAYS A HEROIN ADDICTED FALLEN ANGEL, VALERIE PLAYS A MYSTERIOUS CRUSADER AND I PLAY THE ANGEL'S CARETAKER JOHN.

>> I GUESS IT WAS CALLING ME JOHNNY THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE INSULT AND NOW I GUESS IT'S JANE BUT EITHER WAY THEY USED IT SO OFTEN IT STUCK.

JUST KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN, ANGEL WOULD SAY IN A TONE THAT IMPLIED HE WISHED HE COULD SAY SO MUCH MORE.

>> BUT HE NEVER DID.

>> SO THE PLAY IS CALLED JOHNNY JANE, BUT IT'S ABOUT JOHN OR JOHNNY WHO IS A TRANS BOY WHO IS STRUGGLING WITH BEING JOHNNY JANE WHICH IS AN INSULT AND NOT HIS NAME.

AND ALSO TRYING TO BE JOHN AND THE TRUTH IS BOTH THINGS ARE HARD.

ALL OF THE CHARACTERS ARE PIECES OF ALL OF US, SO JOHNNY JANE IS A PIECE OF ME, IN THE SENSE THAT WE SHARE THAT FEELING OF WANTING TO BE ACCEPTED FOR BEING TRANS MASCULINE.

JOHNNY JANE IS A BINARY TRANS BOY AND I'M A NON-BINARY TRANS MASCULINE PERSON.

SO THERE IS A DIFFERENCE THERE AND HE HAS A VERY VERY VIOLENT PAST AND I HAD THANKFULLY I'M REALLY GRATEFUL TO HAVE HAD A VERY NONVIOLENT COMING OUT.

BUT, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DO NOT HAVE THAT.

>> THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE ARE DOING IS TELLING THE STORY, THE STORY MUST GET TOLD.

>> KIM AND VAL TOOK ME IN ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO WHEN I STARTED TAKING LESSONS FROM VALERIE I HAD SEEN A COUPLE OF WORKS THAT THEY HAD DONE AND I WAS REALLY INTERESTED IN IT AND WE JUST KIND OF CLICKED CREATIVELY AND STARTED WORKING TOGETHER AND IT JUST BECAME THIS ULTIMATE SAFE SPACE.

>> I FOUGHT AND I FOUGHT BARBED WIRE CAUGHT IN MY WINGS BUT THE BOYS IN THE BAND PLAY ON.

>> DO YOUR FULL EXTENSION LIKE WHEN THEY GOT THEIR THROAT CUT BECAUSE WE MIRROR THAT AGAIN.

>> JUST HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF WORK FOR THE ONE PLAY.

>> OF COURSE I HAVE SOME QUALIFICATIONS FOR YOU AND THEY'LL SAY OF COURSE, ANYTHING YOU NEED YOU ARE THE GREAT DIRECTOR, DEREK DAFFODIL.

DEREK DAFFODIL IS A CHARACTER THAT EVERYONE WHO KNOWS ME IS AWARE OF, HE WAS PROBABLY THE FIRST LIKE ACTUALLY DOCUMENTED FILMED ALTER EGO CHARACTER I PLAYED THAT WAS A MAN AND HE WAS DEFINITELY ALWAYS VERY LIKE FLUID IN TERMS OF GENDER LIKE THE WAY HE DRESSED, THE WAY THAT HE ACTED, WAS VERY FLUID AND I DIDN'T EVEN THINK OF IT AT THE TIME AS NECESSARILY AN EXPLORATION FOR MYSELF BUT THE DEEPER I GOT INTO IT THE MORE I WAS JUST LIKE THIS IS KIND OF FUN.

THIS IS KIND OF A PART OF ME THAT IS LIKE NOT ME AT ALL IT'S THE CHARACTER BUT THEN THERE'S LIKE PIECES OF IT THAT VERY MUCH ARE.

♪ [MUSIC PLAYING] >> BEING MASCULINE THROUGH DEREK DAFFODIL AND OTHER CHARACTERS, LED ME TO KIND OF REACH A SEMI-UNDERSTANDING OF MYSELF IN TERMS OF OKAY MAYBE NOT GIRL, MAYBE NOT BOY, BUT SOMETHING.

BOTH?

BOTH THINGS AT THE SAME TIME.

HIS NAME I CAN'T RECALL AND HIS FIGURE CHANGES SHAPE EACH TIME I LOOK AT HIM HE SEEMS TO ESCAPE.

HE IS MY FATHER, MY BROTHER, MY FRIEND.

HE LIVES IN THE SHADOWS BEHIND THE DRAPES.

>> AND THAT UNDERSTANDING WAS KIND OF THE MOMENT WHEN I STARTED TO FEEL THE MOST LIKE I KNEW WHO I WAS, AND THE MOST LIKE THINGS THAT WERE HAPPENING IN HERE MADE SENSE, JUST BEING LIKE I CAN BE BOTH, I CAN DRESS BOTH AND FEEL LIKE BOTH, I CAN CONSIDER MYSELF BOTH.

I'M ALLOWED TO DO THAT, AND IT MAKES ME FEEL SO MUCH BETTER.

♪ [MUSIC PLAYING] >> I HAVE ALWAYS HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT NOT BEING GIRL ENOUGH, YOU KNOW, VERY SPECIFIC TIMES IN MY LIFE WHERE I NEEDED TO UP THE ANTE IN PRESENTATION OF FEMININITY.

I AM LEX DUNBAR.

I IDENTIFY AS A BLACK NON-BINARY TRANS MASC PERSON.

I WAS RAISED IN AN APOSTOLIC CHURCH FOR THE FIRST 12 YEARS OF MY LIFE, AND I STRUGGLED FOR A LOT OF YEARS IN THIS IDENTITY AND I ALLOWED MYSELF TO CONTINUE TO QUESTION GENDER IDENTITY AND LAND ON NON- BINARY BECAUSE WHEN I THINK ABOUT MY JOURNEY IT IS WHAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE.

SO NOW I AM FINISHING A SECOND MASTER OF DIVINITY AT THE ILIFF SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY AND ULTIMATELY MY GOAL IS TO BOTH BE A BLACK TRANS VOICE IN ACADEMIA, SPECIFICALLY THE RELIGIOUS THEOLOGY WORLD.

AND ALONGSIDE OF THAT, CREATING SPACES FOR BLACK FOLKS TO CONGREGATE AND HEAL AND TALK ABOUT SPIRITUALITY AND TALK ABOUT LIFE AND WISDOM.

>> I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE IN MY LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY THAT SHY AWAY OR DIRECTLY FLEE OR RUN FROM THE EXPERIENCE OF FAITH, AND I THINK THAT THAT IS REGRETTABLE BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH PAIN THEY COULD BE RELIEVED FROM.

FROM A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE THEY COME FROM OPPOSED TO WHAT THEY FLED.

MY NAME IS BENN MANN, MY PRONOUNS ARE THEY AND THEM AND I AM PASTOR AT MAYFLOWER CONGREGATIONAL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST IN ENGLEWOOD COLORADO AS WELL AS A CHAPLAIN AT UC HEALTH.

I THINK PEOPLE'S SUFFERING IS A REALLY INTERESTING SPACE, PEOPLE COME TO THE HOSPITAL AND ARE INSTANTLY VULNERABLE, WE STRIP THEM DOWN AND TELL THEM WHERE TO LAY, WE TELL THEM WHAT TO DO, WE START POKING AND PRODDING THEM AND THAT CAN BE A REALLY INHUMANE EXPERIENCE.

AND I FIND AS A CHAPLAIN I GET TO INJECT A LOT OF HUMANITY INTO A PERSON AND A FAMILY'S EXPERIENCE OVER HERE ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE HERE FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.

IN A TRAUMATIC SITUATION.

I THINK QUEER PEOPLE HAVE A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE WE HAVE DONE SO MUCH DECONSTRUCTION AND RECONSTRUCTION THAT WE CAN REALLY BE LEADERS IN SO MANY DIFFERENT FACETS OF CULTURE INCLUDING INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OUTSIDE OF FAITH COMMUNITIES.

I HAVE TO ADVOCATE FOR MYSELF A LOT MORE HERE AND HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHERE I'M COMING FROM IN MY EXPERIENCE.

WHICH AS A CHAPLAIN YOU DO NOT WANT TO PUT THE FOCUS TOO MUCH ON YOURSELF, YOU'RE REALLY TRYING TO EXTERNALIZE THE WORK AND SO THAT CREATES INTERESTING SITUATIONS WHERE HOW FAR DO I ADVOCATE FOR MYSELF?

PEOPLE WHO DON'T RESPECT MY IDENTITY OR DON'T UNDERSTAND MY IDENTITY THOSE ARE TWO SEPARATE THINGS, AND IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T UNDERSTAND MY IDENTITY I TEND TO BE A LOT MORE COMPASSIONATE.

I OFFER EMPATHY, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE LIVE IN A DUALISTIC SOCIETY A BINARY SOCIETY WHERE PEOPLE WANT AND FAVOR MORE BLACK AND WHITE ANSWERS AND SO TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THEIR POINT OF VIEW AND WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM SO THAT I CAN ADDRES AND MAYBE HELP THEM SOURCE THE RIGHT QUESTION.

IF A PERSON OBJECTS TO MY PERSONHOOD, THAT'S A VERY DIFFERENT I FIND THE NEED TO REALLY STAND TALL AND CONFIDENT IN WHO I AM AND WHO MY COMMUNITY IS, AND OFFER SOME RESISTANCE TO THAT OBJECTION AND TRYING TO BROADEN THEIR COMPASSION AND THEIR EMPATHY AND TRYING TO HELP THEM SEE THERE IS A LOT MORE TO LIFE THAN THE BLACK AND WHITE.

I THINK AS HUMANS WE NEED THE ABILITY TO QUESTION AND PROBE OURSELVES TO HAVE HEALTHY DISCUSSIONS WITH PEOPLE WHO MIGHT NOT UNDERSTAND OR SEE THE WORLD THE SAME WAY WE DO AND SO HAVING THAT OPENNESS OF SELF IS REALLY HOW I GOT HERE AS I HAVE OPENED MYSELF UP MORE AND UNDERSTOOD MYSELF MORE, I HAVE BECOME STRONGER AND MUCH MORE SUCCESSFUL AS A PERSON.

I FIND GREAT FULFILLMENT IN HOW I AM ABLE TO RELATE TO PEOPLE AND QUESTIONS I GET TO ASK OF PEOPLE, AND THEY GET TO ASK OF ME AND WHAT IT ALLOWS ME TO DO CREATIVELY, WHAT IT ALLOWS ME TO DO INTELLECTUALLY, AND WHAT IT ALLOWS ME TO DO FOR MY COMMUNITY.

>> I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A BIG PROPONENT OF DO WHAT YOU CAN, WE DON'T ALL NEED TO BE IN THE FRONT, WE DON'T NEED TO ALL HAVE A MICROPHONE BUT WHATEVER THE CASE IS WE ALL PLAY A PART SO THAT'S KIND OF WHY I'VE ALWAYS TRIED TO PUT MYSELF OUT THERE IN WHATEVER WAY THAT LOOKS LIKE.

THIS IS MY CRIB AND I USE MY MACBOOK TO RECORD.

MY NAME IS STONEY ROBERTS AND I IDENTIFY AS A NON-BINARY TRANS MASCULINE PERSON.

A LOT OF MY EARLY STRUGGLE WAS RECONCILING BLACKNESS OR QUEERNESS BLACKNESS OR QUEERNESS BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE OFTENTIMES WE HAVE TO MAKE A CHOICE RIGHT IT HAS TO BE YOU'RE BLACK FIRST OR QUEER FIRST BECAUSE QUEERNESS IS SEEN AS AN INVENTION OF THE OTHER, AS OPPOSED TO SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN BECAUSE QUEER PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN HERE BLACK PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN HERE THUS, WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN HERE, SO LEARNING MORE ABOUT YOURSELF PUTS YOU IN THIS PLACE WHERE YOU CAN REALLY LIKE HOLD BOTH THINGS AT THE SAME TIME, LIKE I WAS VIEWED THIS WAY BUT I ALSO, THIS IS WHO I AM.

>> I THINK ONE OF MY FAVORITE PHOTOS IS THIS ONE HERE OF RIVENA, THIS WAS HER LAST CHRISTMAS, SHE'S JUST GOT THIS LIKE PURE SWEET HAPPY LOOK ON HER FACE.

WE WERE JUST WALKING ALONG TALKING.

SOMETHING SO PLAIN AND BORING, BUT I DID NOT GET A LOT OF THOSE SITUATIONS WITH MY SISTER.

>> TO KNOW THAT THIS IS LITERALLY THE ONLY PHOTO OF THE FOUR OF US THAT WE HAVE, IS HARD.

>> RIVENA, OUR DAUGHTER, WAS VERY VERY KIND, SHE WOULD GO OUT OF HER WAY FOR ANYBODY, SHE WAS SO WITTY AND DRY, BUT ALWAYS KNEW THE RIGHT THING TO SAY TO CHEER YOU UP.

>> EXTREMELY KIND AND EXTREMELY LOVING, AND EXTREMELY HARD ON HERSELF.

>> RIVENA CAME OUT AS TRANSGENDER AT AGE 24.

WE TOOK HER OUT TO DINNER AND SHE SAT US DOWN AT DINNER AND IN ABOUT FIVE MINUTES SAID MOM AND DAD, I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING AND SHE JUST CAME RIGHT OUT AND SAID YOU KNOW LOOK, I'M A TRANSGENDER WOMAN I HAVE KNOWN THIS SINCE I WAS MUCH YOUNGER.

AND IF I'M GONNA HAVE A FUTURE I'VE GOT TO BE TRUE TO MYSELF AND BE TRUE TO WHO I AM AND HONOR THAT.

KIM JUMPED IN RIGHT AWAY AND DID THE SUPPORTIVE MOM THING THAT SHE'S ALWAYS DONE.

I HAVE TO BE HONEST, IT WAS HARDER FOR ME.

I THINK IT REALLY CAME DOWN TO SIMPLY LOVING MY DAUGHTER.

WHEN YOU LOVE YOUR KIDS AND SEE THEM FOR WHO THEY ARE, THINGS BECOME VERY CLEAR AND FORTUNATELY FOR ME WHAT REALLY CEMENTED IT FOR ME WAS TRYING TO SUPPORT HER WHEN SHE WAS IN THE HOSPITAL.

>> I DID KNOW HOW MUCH SHE WAS STRUGGLING AND WE ALL KNEW AND TRIED TO DO EVERYTHING WE COULD TO SUPPORT HER.

>> RIVENA HAD STRUGGLED WITH DEPRESSION MOST OF HER LIFE.

IT'S DIFFICULT TO BE TRANSGENDER IN THIS SOCIETY.

WE KIND OF WATCHED HER MENTAL HEALTH DECLINE AND SO WE TOOK HER, HAD HER EVALUATED AND GOT HER SOME INPATIENT TREATMENT.

SHE WOULD GO IN AND THEY WOULD RELEASE HER AND SHE WOULD HAVE A SCARY EPISODE AGAIN AND SHE WOULD GO BACK IN.

SHE ASKED FOR HELP AND DID THE WORK TO TRY TO SURVIVE.

AND ULTIMATELY, SHE DID NOT.

♪ [MUSIC PLAYING] IT WAS MY WORST FEAR COME TRUE, THERE IS SUCH A TREMENDOUSLY HIGH RATE OF ATTEMPTED SUICIDE AMONG PEOPLE WHO ARE TRANSGENDER.

♪ [MUSIC PLAYING] >> I THINK RIVENA WOULD WANT TO SHARE INCLUSIVITY.

PEOPLE ARE WHO THEY ARE AND YOU DESERVE TO BE LOVED AT THAT.

YOU DESERVE TO BE SEEN FULLY IN WHO YOU ARE BECAUSE OF THAT.

>> RIVENA WAS A POET, SHE WAS A BEAUTIFUL WRITER, AND SHE WROTE THIS HAIKU: GENTLE REMINDER, SOMETHING UNSEEN SWIRLS AROUND THE SONGBIRDS TAKE OFF.

WE PUT A MEMORIAL BENCH FOR RIVENA OUT THERE, AND I PAINTED ROCKS AND PUT ROCKS UNDER IT AND A WHOLE RAINBOW OF ROCKS WITH ALL THESE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE HER AND EVEN JUST THAT LITTLE PIECE THERE, THAT SIGNIFIES RIVENA HAS BROUGHT KINDNESS TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

KINDNESS AMONGST OUR NEIGHBORS, SO I THINK THERE'S JUST THE BUBBLE OF KINDNESS THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED IN RIVENA'S NAME RIGHT HERE.

>> I THINK MORE THAN ANYTHING THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO TRY TO PROMOTE IN RIVENA'S NAME IS THE CONCEPT OF KINDNESS, THE MORE WE CAN ENCOURAGE KINDNESS AS A LEADING FACTOR, AND A WAY TO HAVE AN OPEN CONVERSATION AND OPEN DISCUSSION IT'S AMAZING WHAT CAN COME OUT OF THIS WHEN PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO SIT DOWN AND ACTUALLY TALK AND LEARN FROM SOMEBODY ELSE.

♪ [MUSIC PLAYING] THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN A COMMUNITY.

IT'S ALWAYS BEEN AROUND AND I THINK IT'S ONLY FAIR THAT THERE IS A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN GO AND FEEL SAFE ALSO.

AND TALK ABOUT THOSE THINGS.

YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO TALK ABOUT IT IN OTHER PLACES.

I KEPT DOING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN KNOWING THE CONSEQUENCES AND KNOWING THE OUTCOME.

MY NAME IS CORINTHIA BROWN AND I'M THE FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE DON'T LOOK BACK CENTER FOR WOMEN AND TRANS WOMEN.

WE ARE A LICENSED SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT CENTER.

YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH.

AND WE ALSO PROVIDE TRANSITIONAL SOBER LIVING AND ALL OF OUR SERVICES ARE GENDER SPECIFIC A PLACE WHERE YOU ARE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT TRANS ISSUES AND GOING TO THE DOCTOR, HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO HORMONES, THAT IS A HUGE ISSUE, SO LIKE LEARNING HOW TO TALK TO YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER AND FEELING SAFE, EDUCATING PEOPLE ON PRONOUNS.

UTILIZING THE CORRECT PRONOUNS, THEN HELPING THE PERSON THROUGH THEIR TRANSITION.

FOR ME, WHEN I WAS COMING OUT, THERE WAS NO ORGANIZATION FOR TRANS PEOPLE.

THERE WAS NOBODY OUT THERE TO HELP GUIDE US, TO SHOW US THE RIGHT WAY OF GOING INTO THE LIFESTYLE, WITH US BEING SAFE AND WITHOUT BEING PROMISCUOUS.

MY NAME IS PAULA RICE.

I AM THE TRANS OUTREACH PROGRAM MANAGER HERE AT THE DON'T LOOK BACK CENTER.

I AM A RECOVERING CRACK ADDICT, AND HAVE BEEN CLEAN AND SOBER FOR 17 YEARS.

WHEN I WAS OUT THERE DOING CRACK AND EVERYTHING, BEING A TRANSGENDER, ONE THING WE KNEW WAS TO GO OUT THERE, PROSTITUTE TO GET MONEY, TO DO THE HABITS.

WE ARE TRYING TO TEACH THE GIRLS HOW TO STAY SOBER FIRST, AND THEN FOCUS ON TRANS ISSUES.

YOU'RE HOMELESS OR DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU'RE LIVING AT, I GOT TO INCLUDE TRAFFICKING, IT'S REAL AND IT REALLY HAPPENS.

SO A PLACE WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT SOMEONE COMING IN AND TAKING ADVANTAGE OF YOUR DISADVANTAGE.

MY MAIN REASON FOR WHAT I DO TODAY IS FROM MY LIVED EXPERIENCE.

I GREW UP, I ACTUALLY GREW UP IN SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

AND ONE THING THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO ME WAS, I WAS 11 YEARS OLD WHEN WE MOVED TO COLORADO.

AND I HAD A LOT OF ABUSE, SEXUAL ABUSE, MOLESTATION IN MY CHILDHOOD AND IT STOPPED WHEN I MOVED HERE.

>> IF I CAN GET ONE PERSON TO STOP USING, MY JOB IS COMPLETE.

I'M HAPPY.

IF I CAN GET THEM TO GO GET SOMEBODY ELSE TO BE CLEAN AND HAPPY, THAT MAKES ME MORE ECSTATIC.

>> I STARTED THE DON'T LOOK BACK CENTER AND WORK THAT I DO FROM MY HEART, REALLY.

I BELIEVE THAT IF I CAN CHANGE, ANYBODY CAN CHANGE.

AND I JUST DID NOT SEE ANYTHING THAT WAS GENDER SPECIFIC WHERE I CAN GO AND TALK ABOUT ISSUES WITHOUT SHAME OR FEAR OR JUDGMENT.

>> GROWING UP WHERE I DID PEOPLE DID NOT TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS.

I DID NOT KNOW ANYONE WHO WAS TRANS, I DO NOT KNOW THE TERM TRANS.

SO THESE CONVERSATIONS, THIS KIND OF ILLUMINATION ON COMMUNITIES LIKE OURS IS IMPORTANT.

MY NAME IS AL, I AM 32 YEARS OLD AND I IDENTIFY AS A TRANS MAN.

ORIGINALLY I AM FROM THE PANHANDLE OF FLORIDA, AND I AM SO GLAD FOR MANY MANY REASONS TO NOW BE LIVING AND WORKING IN COLORADO INSTEAD.

I HAVE BEEN THE DIRECTOR OF THE TRINIDAD HISTORY MUSEUM SINCE DECEMBER 2020, AND LIVING IN TRINIDAD AS A TRANS MAN AND WORKING HERE IS REALLY INTERESTING GIVEN THE HISTORY HERE.

TRINIDAD USED TO BE KNOWN AS THE GENDER CONFIRMATION SURGERY CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.

THANKS TO THE WORK OF DR. STANLEY BIBER AND LATER, DR. MARCIE BOWERS.

SO JUST BY EXISTING AND WORKING IN A SPACE WHERE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TRANS HISTORY WE'RE A HISTORY MUSEUM HERE, I THINK IT HELPS NOT ONLY OLDER FOLKS LEARN ABOUT THE HISTORY AND FOLKS WHO HAVE ALWAYS EXISTED WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN HERE, BUT ALSO IT'S REALLY HELPFUL FOR OUR YOUTH AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WHEN WE DO HAVE KIDS COME TO THE MUSEUM, THEY ARE NOT ONLY SEEING AND WORKING WITH CIS STAFF, BUT ALSO WORKING WITH ME I AM TRANS AND OTHER FOLKS WORKING HERE WHO IDENTIFY AS NON-BINARY AND I KNOW SEVERAL TEENS WHO HAVE KNOWN WHO THEY WERE FROM THE MOMENT THEY WERE BORN AND IT MAKES ME SO PROUD.

>> SO I HAVE A DRAWER, AND IT'S FULL OF ALL OF MY NOTEBOOKS AND SKETCHBOOKS.

THEY ARE VERY MESSY, JUST WHAT YOU WOULD IMAGINE.

FIRST TIME I SAT DOWN TO WRITE A COMIC AND MAKE A COMIC IT WAS MORE JUST OUT OF A FEELING OF THIS IS A MEDIUM WHERE I FEEL LIKE I CAN FULLY EXPRESS MYSELF.

THIS IS A MEDIUM WHERE I CAN EXPLAIN WHAT'S GOING ON IN MY BRAIN TO OTHER PEOPLE, BECAUSE I CAN PUT ARROWS IN, I CAN DRAW BUBBLES AND MAKE CRAZY EXPRESSIONS.

THINGS LIKE THAT.

MY NAME IS WILL BETKE-BRUNSWICK AND I'M A CARTOONIST I CAME TO CARTOONING MORE FROM READING COMICS THAN DRAWING THEM.

THERE'S SUCH A VARIETY OF COMICS OUT THERE.

I THINK THAT PEOPLE RELATE TO COMICS BECAUSE THEY INVITE THE READER IN AND I THINK ALSO BECAUSE PEOPLE ASSOCIATE COMICS WITH BEING FUN AND THAT TAKES AWAY FROM SOME OF THE BARRIERS AND PEOPLE CAN FEEL LIKE THEY ARE DOING SOMETHING THAT'S ENJOYABLE AND RELAXING, AND MAYBE NOSTALGIC FOR SOME PEOPLE SO THIS IS MY CURRENT LINED NOTEBOOK THAT I AM WORKING IN.

AND YEAH, USUALLY JUST OPEN TO ANY OPEN PAGE AND DRAW MY PENGUINS.

MY ARTISTIC STYLE IS PRETTY SIMPLE LINE DRAWINGS, PARTLY BECAUSE THAT'S JUST THE WAY I LIKE TO DRAW AND ALSO BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE IT INVITES PEOPLE IN IN SORT OF A FRIENDLY WAY, AND THEN I GO IN FOR THE LIKE HARD COMMENTARY OR LIKE HUMOR OR GRIEF OR DEEP EMOTIONS.

THE DRAWING STYLE ALMOST BALANCES OUT THE WEIGHT OF WHATEVER IS I'M TALKING ABOUT AND OFTEN, I AM TALKING ABOUT HEAVY OR INTENSE SUBJECTS.

THESE ARE SMALL COMICS THAT I MADE.

THEY ARE ABOUT SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS AND RACISM IN BOULDER COUNTY.

THIS ONE IS CALLED SO YOUR KID IS NOT BINARY, AND I IDENTIFY AS A NON-BINARY TRANS PERSON SO I GAVE IT TO MY DAD TO SORT OF SAY HERE, ARE SOME IDEAS THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO COMMUNICATE TO YOU.

THE TITLE OF MY COMICS BUSINESS IS TRANS BOY COMICS AND A LOT OF THEM HAVE TO DO WITH TRANS ISSUES OR BEING TRANS OR UPLIFTING THE TRANS COMMUNITY OR CELEBRATING TRANS PEOPLE.

AND ALSO SOME OF THEM ARE EDUCATIONAL.

SO MUCH OF IT IS ABOUT MY LIFE AND SINCE I AM TRANS, I SEE THE WORLD THROUGH THIS TRANS LENS AND EVEN COMICS THAT ARE JUST LIKE HUMOR COMICS ARE OFTEN LIKE FUNNY THINGS THAT I EXPERIENCE AS A TRANS PERSON THAT OTHER TRANS PEOPLE COULD RELATE TO.

BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT FOR SOME PEOPLE, WHO ARE CIS, ARE READING MY COMICS AS A WAY OF LEARNING ABOUT ME AND MY TRANS IDENTITY AND SO I TRIED TO JUST BE ALSO AWARE THAT CIS PEOPLE ARE ALSO READING MY WORK.

I HOPE THAT PEOPLE FEEL CONNECTION AND JOY AND I DEFINITELY HOPE THAT OTHER PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY CAN MAKE COMICS.

THAT'S SOMETHING I REALLY HOPE IS OTHER PEOPLE FEEL INSPIRED TO SHARE THEIR STORIES VIA COMICS.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME TO USE MY WORK TO TALK ABOUT BIGGER ISSUES BECAUSE THESE ARE THINGS I CARE ABOUT AND THINGS I'M THINKING ABOUT ANYWAY AND SO MY COMICS REALLY ARE WHAT'S GOING ON IN MY BRAIN ON PAPER, SO IF I'M THINKING ABOUT IT, CHANCES ARE I'LL MAKE A COMIC ABOUT IT.

♪ [MUSIC PLAYING]