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Headshot of me wearing red lipstick Kara Babcock

Articles Tagged with “transgender”

31 articles found

Showing 1 to 20 of 31 results

  1. Cover image for Levelling up

    Levelling up

    Published

    My school’s graduation ceremony was an opportunity for me to celebrate my students and also myself.
  2. Cover image for Pride before the fall

    Pride before the fall

    Published (Updated )

    Thunder Bay’s leading Pride organizations provide an object lesson in how not to practise solidarity.
  3. Cover image for Review of Into Light

    Review of Into Light

    Published

    This week in my English class, we were discussing representation in media. We looked at the concept along several axes, including, of course, gender and gender diversity. I used the representation of trans people in media as an opportunity to discuss the impact of misrepresentation. For the end of the lesson, I wanted to show students an example of how representation can be used to fight back. I needed it to be shorter than…

  4. Cover image for Long hair, very much care

    Long hair, very much care

    Published

    One surprise during my transition has been how my relationship with my hair has changed as I have grown it out, and the way this affects not only how I see my body but also how I move through social spaces.
  5. Intersectionality means I can’t separate my whiteness from my transness, nor can I ignore how the privilege the former identity grants me moderates the marginalization of the latter identity. We white trans people need to do better at acknowledging this.
  6. Cover image for The audacity of coming out

    The audacity of coming out

    Published

    The transphobic narrative is a lie. Let’s spend more time talking about how awesome it is to finally be yourself.
  7. Socialized male

    Published

    In which I talk to my cis allies about my personal take on the idea that I was socialized male and what that means for my lived experience as a woman.
  8. Queerness as context

    Published

    Knowing I was ace didn’t automatically mean I identified as queer. It took me years of learning (and unlearning) to embrace the larger community.
  9. Cover image for The childhood I didn’t have

    The childhood I didn’t have

    Published

    Wearing a dress to prom. Figuring out my style over decades instead of a year. Seeing myself represented on TV. Not having to go through the wrong puberty.

    These are just some of the experiences from the childhood I didn’t have.

    Today is the International Day of Pink, a day started here in Canada dedicated to anti-bullying, and specifically dedicated to stopping bullying against those who experience homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia. So I thought…

  10. Femininity is my jam

    Published

    Happy International Women’s Day! Last November for International Men’s Day, I wrote about why masculinity is not for me. So I thought I would complement that piece with one for this day, all about why femininity and womanhood are indeed my jam.

    As I outlined back in my post about masculinity, I never felt comfortable belonging to that category of man. I never felt comfortable asserting my masculinity. I never looked to other men…

  11. Cover image for Fearless: My 1st anniversary of transition

    Fearless: My 1st anniversary of transition

    Published

    On this day one year ago, I came out as a trans woman everywhere. After coming out at work, I changed my name and posted on social media, pushed an update to and published a blog post on this website, and then I held my breath and waited. It was the scariest moment of my life.

    It was really nice, watching all the supportive and affirming comments come in. Reconnecting, at times, with people who…

  12. Cover image for Feeling sexy

    Feeling sexy

    Published

    Yesterday I wore a sleeveless mock neck bodysuit with a toucan print to work. I paired it with a black, pleated midi skirt, navy tights, a royal blue cardigan, and a mustard headband. I rocked a little bit of gold and pink eyeshadow. I felt good for most of the school day. Then I went home, and as I was washing my hands, I looked in the mirror. The woman staring back at me—and she…

  13. Cover image for Review of Transhood

    Review of Transhood

    Published

    It was Christmas Day, and Gilmore Girls was depressing me with its relationship drama, so I cast about for something that would hold my interest but not harsh the sliver of holiday jolly that flickered within my breast. And I found Transhood, an HBO documentary released earlier this year. It promised me a lighthearted look at the lives of four trans kids of various ages in Kansas City. I’m not sure I agree it…

  14. Cover image for You hear my voice but you don’t listen

    You hear my voice but you don’t listen

    Published

    (TW: (Vocal) dysphoria, misgendering.)

    Last week we had a guest presenter in my virtual English class to talk about resumes. I introduced her, and she thanked my co-teacher by first name. When it came to me, with my full name displayed in Adobe Connect, she paused and said, “And how do you pronounce your name, Mr. Babcock?”

    She had heard my voice, and despite my feminine first name and femme appearance on webcam,…

  15. Cover image for Masculinity: It’s not for me

    Masculinity: It’s not for me

    Published (Updated )

    In which I reflect on masculinity, and why I was never a man, even when we all thought I was one.

Showing 1 to 20 of 31 results