Call for Submissions

Trans Bodies, Trans Selves is a resource guide by and for trans, gender expansive and non-binary communities. The first edition was published in 2014 and included hundreds of contributors. We are now working on the second edition and looking for submissions that represent a broad diversity of our communities.

OUR MISSION: The Trans Bodies, Trans Selves Editing Team is publishing the second edition of Trans Bodies, Trans Selves to:

–> Provide a platform for trans, gender expansive, and non-binary people (and however we define ourselves within our culture, region, or generation) to give voice to our embodied experiences and to represent ourselves with dignity.

–> Compile a resource for service providers, policy makers, educators, artists, activists, and our broader communities to become co-conspirators and advocates in supporting trans, gender expansive, and non-binary people in our full authenticity.

–> Generate a living document to grow and evolve with our communities and cultures.

OUR VISION is to empower trans, gender expansive, and non-binary people by contributing to the creation of a world where people of all genders are valued, celebrated, and supported in being ourselves.

We are seeking visual artwork and short written pieces created by trans, gender expansive and non-binary people to be interspersed throughout the new edition. We welcome existing pieces you have already created or new pieces you are inspired by this book to create.

* VISUAL ART SUBMISSIONS must be 300 dpi and will appear in the book in grayscale/black & white. We’re seeking a range of visual arts such as drawings, prints, photography, paintings, digital works, comics, political posters, medical or biological diagrams and illustrations related to trans health and sexuality, etc. Please submit a one-sentence description with any relevant context about the artwork to Sha at sha@transbodies.com.

* WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS should be fewer than 400 words and can be accompanied by a photo if the author is interested in appearing next to their work. We’re seeking a range of written pieces such as brief narratives, poetry, short stories, etc. This book will be printed in English. Due to capacity constraints, if the submission is not originally written in English, please submit an English translation along with it.

We are looking for works on a broad range of topics spanning any aspect of life as a trans, gender expansive or non-binary person. While this book is written from a US-based perspective, we welcome submissions from trans people anywhere in the world. It’s helpful, but not required, if you can identify which of the following topics you think your piece is most relevant to (this will give us some guidance in considering which chapter the work may fit into).

1. Who We Are: Our Many Selves; Race, Ethnicity & Culture; Immigration; Disabilities & Deaf Culture; Religion & Spirituality; Sex & Gender Development

2. Living As Ourselves: Coming Out; Social Transition; Employment; Legal Issues

3. Health & Wellness: General, Sexual & Reproductive Health; Medical Transition; Surgical Transition; Mental Health

4. Relationships & Families: Intimate Relationships; Sexuality; Parenting

5. Life Stages: Children; Youth; Aging

6. Claiming Our Power: US History; Arts & Culture; Activism, Politics & Organizing

Please note: If you are under 18, we will need permission from a legal guardian to publish your work in the book.

SUBMISSIONS DUE BY AUGUST 30, 2019. You are welcome to submit one piece or multiple pieces.  However, due to the volume of submissions we expect to receive, unfortunately not all submissions will be able to make the print edition of this book, and we are unable to pay contributors at this time.  We are exploring other ways to acknowledge and appreciate the submissions we receive.

Please click the submit button or click here to fill out this form with information about yourself and about the work you are submitting. Send short pieces to Kevin at kevin@transbodies.com. Send artwork to Sha at sha@transbodies.com.

SUBMIT