Elizabeth Skyhart and KC Norton are members of the Trans Rights Readathon’s volunteer management team. Elizabeth is a inc- owner of the Get Yourself Bookstore. Houston is an artist. Find out more about the Trans Rights Readathon and their resources and pictures on their website.
What is the objective of the Trans Rights Readathon?
Rachel Skyhart: The Trans Rights Readathon is intended to serve as a system and channel for raising money in support of transgender organizations in light of the proliferating of over 500 anti-trans bills in the United States and the widespread anger encountered by the trans community worldwide. It supports the March 31 Trans Day of Visibility. This initiative operates in a distributed way, giving our allies and our community the power to give donations to favored causes. In contrast to standard fundraisers that may restrict payment options, this inclusive method encourages broader participation and benefits a range of organizations.
Houston Norton: The readathon has two main goals: first, to boost stories and writers from the vast variety of names that fall under the transgender umbrella ( including nonbinary, two- nature, genderqueer, agender, etc. ), and next, to encourage members to donate for organizations that support these communities. In the US in 2023, an astronomical number of bills started appearing that particularly addressed this little percentage of the population. It’s portion of a growing anti- trans* pattern worldwide, which is what inspired Sim Kern to visit on the literary community next year.
Traditional printing also does n’t release a lot of trans* accents, and often allocates smaller costs to selling these “niche” narratives. Through the readathon, we can collectively exhibit some much-needed adore to both independently published and previously published titles, and hopefully this will help other writers.
Why is the promotion of transgender rights a key component of writing?
Houston: So much of common conversation around trans* problems comes from people who are not part of the community. As a result, there’s a lot of misconceptions out there, which can be very damaging on both personal and political rates. Reading trans* reports, particularly stories told by trans* writers, can help fight misconceptions and assumptions.
I’d like to think that people supporting their trans* relatives are encouraged by events like this, and I genuinely think reading encourages emotion. For readers who do n’t know anyone from the trans* community, or at least do n’t know that they do, having a more accurate point of reference is really helpful. The literary community’s vocal support means a lot to trans* readers. And for the authors who tell these stories, events like this can make it possible for them to reach audiences who might otherwise not be aware of their work.
Elizabeth: Literature has a fundamental place in our lives since childhood, with young children and infants receiving photograph books. These initial encounters with poetry shape our outlooks on the world and condition our sense of self. Accepting different personalities and possibilities is promoted by exposure to various literary representations. By showcasing transgender stories, literature offers a view into the fulfilling life that can be led when people are given the freedom to live authentically. By recognizing literature as a foundation, we can help to create a more positive and equitable future. Think if we were given this perception from childhood….
KC: On a side note, we’ve tried to steer clear of particular attention to trans* authors in part because it’s intrusive and potentially dangerous to ask authors to reveal their identities when they are n’t ready to do so. We hope that when users compile their TBRs, they will adhere to the author’s guidelines and protection.
What are some of the various ways people can participate?
Elizabeth: There are so many choices!
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choosing a book to read and choosing a charity to contribute to
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Donating to someone else’s charity
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Matching one’s contribution dollar for dollar
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Donating as a group, like as book leagues or social clubs that all read a book, and raising funds collectively
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Creating a TBR and sharing about the readathon, even if you’re never donating
Individuals can also create their own way to participate. The options are endless.
Ks: The best part of the readathon is that there are so many ways to get involved! The original concept was that literary visitors and influencers do ask for vows based on the number of publications or pages they read during the readathon’s week. Folks got really creative next time, though. We had something like 2, 500 participants from 43 nations, and people found various ways to drive their donations: giveaways, book auctions, fundraising groups, calls for flat funds … because this is a decentralized event, every student can tailor their approach to see what works for them.
Those who have n’t got time to read this week can help out with one of the fundraisers put together by other content creators. Alternatively, those who do n’t have the funds to spare ( trust me, we get it! ) can focus on reading and platforming books they’ve enjoyed. Even if you only read one book that you would n’t have picked up otherwise, you’re participating. And just to be clear, when I say read, I mean whatever’s accessible to you: audiobooks, graphic novels, print books, poetry collections, webcomics, whatever speaks to you. A few authors have even offered free digital copies of their books on request. We sincerely hope everyone can access this.
What material does TRR provide for participants?
KC: To assist users in finding the best recommendations, we have a bingo card and a StoryGraph challenge. Participants are able to use this game as a way to offer prizes to their audience even though the organizers are n’t offering prizes directly. Additionally, our website provides links to two different databases of eligible books, one of which concentrates solely on independent authors, and is expanding as more people submit their titles day by day. Additionally, we’ve created targeted recommendation posts that we’re updating our social media accounts frequently. ]Rebecca adds: printables for libraries and bookstores. ]
One of our team members, Bee in particular, has created a ton of lovely graphics to make it simple for people to announce their participation and share reading updates. Through our website, the public can access all of those templates. We’ve provided some resources that can assist those who do n’t know what kind of organization to fundraise for. We’ve made it our goal to keep the website simple while enabling everyone to get involved as much as they can.
Is there anything you find yourself particularly eager to read during the readathon?
Rebecca: I am very excited to read The Deep by Rivers Solomon, a novella that has been on my TBR for a while. The narrative takes place in a submerged society that was once home to enslaved African women who were thrown overboard by slavers and who now reside peacefully in the depths. The historian, the only one who remembers their horrific past, safeguards their tranquility. Additionally, my family, including my wife and children, are each immersed in their chosen books, and we’re reading as a family.
KC: Because 2023’s readathon came together at the last minute, I ended up grabbing the first books I could find. That list heavily favored white authors ‘ fiction. Thanks to everyone’s amazing recommendations, not only during last year’s even but over the intervening year, I’ve got a much more diverse stack of books on hand this time around.
- Love After the End is a collection of two-soul and indigenous short fiction that Joshua Whitehead has created. Love Beyond Body, Space, and Time, edited by Hope Nicholson, has a similar theme. Although not everyone who has a trans* identity considers themselves to be a part of the trans* community, I am aware that there are trans-identifying characters and/or authors in both collections.
- We Have Always Been Here, a memoir by Samira Habib, explores the author’s experiences as a Pakistani Muslim while also looking at gender identity and sexuality.
- I already love Kai Cheng Thom’s writing, so I’ve got her essay collection Falling Back in Love With Being Human on standby. I also have a few poetry books from Alice James Books, including Candace Williams ‘ I Am the Most Dangerous Thing and Paul Tran’s All the Flowers Kneeling.
- Also, Gabe Cole Novoa’s new book The Diablo’s Curse just released, and I have had to actively restrain myself from reading it until the readathon.
I read a lot, and I never want to miss out on a book that sounds intriguing, which is obviously a dangerous question for me. The good news is that even when I do n’t finish my delusional 27- book TRRTBR, I can keep going. On the 30th, after the readathon is over, we do n’t want people to forget that these books exist. Ideally, we’ll all keep celebrating these books throughout the year and make it easier, and more rewarding, for trans* authors to tell their stories in the future.
