Goddess Liberation Now: Spotlights Curated by Goddess Platform
INTRODUCING FEMINIST X GODDESS for The Audre Lorde Project
🌈 Goddess is A community for women, nonbinary individuals, and people who are intersex💫 Founded by Munroe Bergdorf.
We've joined forces to fundraise for the Audre Lorde Project. As an organization, ALP SEEKS social and economic justice for all peoples. ALP is committed to promoting multi-racial coalition-building, advocacy and community organizing activities among LGBTSTGNC people of color, and with allies in struggles for equality and liberation.
The Audre Lorde Project (ALP) is a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Two Spirit, Trans and Gender Non Conforming People of Color center for community organizing, focusing on the New York City area.
Audre Lorde fought hard against the exclusion of transgender people from the Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act in New York, and was a loud and persistent voice for the rights of people of color and low-income queers and trans people.
Join us and follow @GoddessPlatform and support The Audre Lorde Project
CURRY
(THEY/THEM)
Follow @bespokecurry
Curry a non-binary icon (they/them) is a Nashville based Creative/Art Director for film and photography, Mode, LGBTQIA advocate, Black folx greatest hype human, Speaker, Jewelry Designer, and Master Hairstylist and Cololrist. To sum it up they are a creative entrepreneur, whose talent is endless.
Q: What does Feminism mean to you?
AC: I don’t like the term. It is too binary and has been centered around yt femmes who continue to be the most dangerous threat to Black bodies. I want for Black femmes and to be centered but I also think we are missing a piece. We focus on centering Black femme trans lives as we should. It is if the utmost important. But Black Trans lives that are masculine in presentation will also be the ones to heal toxic masculinity making the world safe place for Black femmes. I want advocacy for Black human rights. Because every time we get locked into the binary and yt western culture someone get hurt. I want equity for Black folx. Peace. For Our lived to hold value. We deserve humanity. We keep asking for what we need, reparations, and keep being given everything but.
Q: What does radical visibility look like for you?
AC: Being able to be visible in my full completeness without that fear that exists in the back of my head that my life or my partners life could be taken at any moment because folx think they have that level of control over the Black body. Yt america thinks we are for consumption and then disposal and that harm has now brought anti- Blackness, transphobia, and homophobia into our communities.
Q: HOW DO YOU TAKE UP SPACE?
AC: It means moving slow like Karen and Cathy do. It means spreading and colonizing every yt space I can so I can shine alight on who I am and my many ignored talents all while exposing extreme mediocrity and harm coming from yt communities and those who are yt adjacent. It means protecting and uplifting Black Trans lives. It means protecting Black Queer lives. It means protecting Black neurodiversity, Protecting Black disabled bodies, protecting Black fat bodies. It is me standing tall and speaking wide for myself and those who cannot. It is me setting the the rules and boundaries. It is me reclaiming and taking back what my ancestors lost. I am their wildest dreams and my own.
Q: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A TRANS ACTIVIST RIGHT NOW AND HOW CAN WE SUSTAIN THE MOVEMENT?
AC: I think being a Black trans activist right now means actually doing the work. Protecting my community. Giving every resource I have and asking those in community with me to do the same. It means not excusing yt folx in Black and queer trans spaces where we are meant to be uplifted because we are cosumed with yt fragility and their hurt feelings. It means calling out the harm every time because folx are already going back to complicity. It means putting my body in front of Black trans bodies. It’s not giving any slack to those who are yt and yt adjacent. It means calling out discrimination and harm every single time no matter how tired you may be. Because the moment we stop it’s someone’s life. It means holding Black Community accountable as well because some of the greatest harm to Black Trans communities has come from within. It so many more things. So many more.
Lexi Chandra
(She/THEY)
Follow @iamlexchandra
Lexi Chandra (she/they) is a queer trans femme writer, anti-racist, anti-capitalist, intellectual Community-builder and digital content creator. She resides in Brooklyn, New York and is serving her queer and trans community working in the Diversity and Inclusion Office at New York City Health and Hospitals. Lexi is also the digital content creator of @iamlexchandra and Platform manager @goddessplatform where she uplifts the voices of queer and trans black, indigenous, people of color through their and her own writing.
Q: What does Feminism mean to you?
LC: Feminism for me has always meant exclusion/gatekeeping. As a trans femme, feminism has been weaponized against me to show me where trans women stop and cis women begin. This transphobic rhetoric has been used in feminist circles as of late and is a reason why I touch that term with a ten-foot pole. In any case, trans-inclusive feminism is just feminism, or at least it should be.
Q: What does radical visibility look like for you?
LC: Radical visibility to me looks like trans supremacy. What I mean by this is that radical visibility moves beyond performativity to really center trans people as the experts of creativity and knowledge dissemination as opposed to tokens/unicorns.
Q: How do you take up space?
LC: I take up space by owning my solitude. I restore myself when I am alone and take up all the space in any way I need to to fill myself up. I work at being full of myself and in that vein take up space unapologetically.
Q: What does it mean to be a trans activist right now and how can we sustain the movement?
LC: Being a trans activist at the moment for means resisting the label activist" in order to justify just being ordinary. Being ordinary can also be a radical act. Until we see trans people as just another way to be human, we will keep pedestalizing/projecting titles onto certain folks knowing we can also knock them down. Sustaining the movement looks like shifting the material conditions of trans lives. Paying trans people to do the work, as well as giving trans people space to rest in the name of trans justice.
Organizations to follow and support curated by Lexi Chandra:
📌 @transstudent ,
📌 @houseoftulipno ,
📌 @intersexjusticeproject .
JOSHUA ALLEN
(THEY/THEM)
Follow Joshua Allen
JOSHUA ALLEN— (they/them) is an organizer, abolitionist and freedom fighter committed to manifesting true liberation. Using a black, gender-non conforming lens and an urban youth perspective they have traveled the country, and abroad, organizing around race and gender. They specifically focus on the abolition of police and prisons as well as ending the genocide against black trans and gender non-conforming femmes, women, and girls.
Q: What does Feminism mean to you?
JA: To me feminism is the fight for the liberation of all genders
Q: What does radical visibility look like for you?
JA: Radical visibility is the ability to see yourself reflected in every facet of the world as your most free, powerful and liberated self
Q: How do you take up space?
JA: I'm working to feel fearless enough to take up all of the space humanly possible! Everyday I walk down the street with my shoulders back and my head held high. I'm not afraid to laugh or cry loudly. I'm walking around the straightest and most binary spaces as if there is a crown on top of my head. I'm working to own that every single thing in the world around me has been influenced by Black trans and queer people. And that I am the most incredible and beautiful manifestation of those that came before me.
Q: how can we sustain the movement FOR BLACK TRANs LIVES?
JA: I think we have to do a better job at taking care of our Black trans activists and people period. Not just when they do incredible things or when they are experiencing a crisis. In order for this movement (which is founded on our very survival) to sustain we need to empower, uplift, nurture and support Black trans people during the mundane times. On a random Tuesday or Wednesday. We need to make sure people are getting home safe not just from protests but from a neighbors birthday party or trip to the YMCA. Sustaining this movement is about sustaining our lives.
ORGANIZATIONS TO FOLLOW AND SUPPORT CURATED BY JOSHUA ALLEN 🔗
📌I Am Human Foundation
📌Black Excellence Collective fundraiser
📌Resist Inc
RADAM RIDWAN
(THEY/THEM)
Follow @radamridwan
Radam Ridwan (they/them) is a nonbinary queer model, writer, and creator—from indonesian and australian origins, currently residing in london. They describe themselves as ‘a work-in-progress that will never be quite finished, and that's okay.’ As a Non-binary fashion icon they challenge the notion of static non-binary clothing, letting us know that there is not one singular way how an individual can look non-binary, nor is there a uniform universal non-binary style, sharing how we should focus our efforts on degendering all fashion.
Q: What does Feminism mean to you?
RR: Feminism means destroying the white cisheteropatriarchy in all its forms and manifestations. It means the redistribution of power, resources, and love to those who haven’t historically been given these things. It means radical inclusion and never forgetting intersectionality.
Q: What does radical visibility look like for you?
RR: Radical visibility means listening directly to marginalized people (instead of talking about them) so we can understand what we need to do as allies to ensure they’re getting the power, resources, and love they need. Visibility for trans people has never been more common, but right now it is more harmful than helpful. Trans people face a climate where trans issues are discussed as if trans people are becoming an issue instead of facing deeply-entrenched, systemic issues. This is not radical visibility. We need to put pressure on media outlets that share transphobic propaganda to consider the direct links between the words on their pages and the transphobic violence faced by the trans community.
Q: How do you take up space?
RR: As a trans person of colour, I haven’t been given the space I need to thrive in our world. I have a body that is posited as intrusion, as a challenge, as the enemy. So, I try to take up space in my own way, by being authentically myself in as many spaces as possible. We need everyone’s help, though. In order to create spaces that are safe for those suffering under the white cisheteropatriarchy, everyone must begin defying structures which are set up so some people systematically succeed and other fail.
Q: What does it mean to be a trans activist right now and how can we sustain the movement?
RR: I wouldn’t say I am an activist as it is a dangerous assumption to say any trans person that sticks up for themselves is one. It is painting our criticism of transphobia as a vocational exercise, instead of a survival tactic used by a group of exhausted people. If everyone challenged the damaging norms created by the powerful, trans people wouldn’t need to be activists. Our energy can be better expended than in the ceaseless Twitter debate cycle with people who refuse to see trans humanity. Use that energy to challenge your workplace on its inclusion and diversity practices. Send an email to your MP demanding Gender Recognition Act reform. Talk to your GP about how they can improve trans healthcare services. Redistribute your money to trans people. Read and share trans histories. Uplift trans voices. Celebrate trans victories.
Organizations to follow and support curated by RADAM RIDWAN:
📌 @genderedIntelligence ,
📌 @ukblackpride ,
📌 @lgbtiqoutside ,
📌 @blacktranstravelfund ,
📌 @mermaidsgender .
Follow @lanapatelxoxo
Q: What does Feminism mean to you?
LP: Feminism to me means the equality of the genders and ensuring that everyone is treated with equity. Feminism is vital for the healthy function of society and is a beautiful presence that works too eradicate the patriarchy.
Q: What does radical visibility look like for you?
LP: Radical visibility for me is showing up in all of my intersectionality without explanation or judgment. It is owning every part of me unapologetically. It is the dismantling of boxes and labels that have held us prisoner to identities that have kept us oppressed as a collective.
Q: How do you take up space?
LP: I take up space but utilizing my voice and platform to speak truth to power. I challenge the status quo and demand respect for my various communities. I show up when needed and use whatever privilege I possess to allow access to others so that we all have a seat at the table.
Q: What does it mean to be a trans activist right now and how can we sustain the movement?
LP: Being a Trans activist right now for me means holding the ability to challenge the system and demand justice for our expansive Trans community. It means holding those in power accountable and holding space for our community while we create change. We can sustain the movement but prioritizing the importance of this movement. By not letting these conversations dwindle. By not making this a movement but by understanding that this radical "movement" is a way of life and that we can not sustain this without the acknowledgement of this.
Organizations to follow and support curated by LANA PATEL:
📌 @getplume , 📌 @project_q_ ,
📌 @pointofprideORG , 📌 @trevorproject ,
📌 @sylviariveralawproject , 📌 @okraproject ,
📌 @uwc (unique woman's coalition) , 📌 @invisibleTransmen .
JUNIOR MINTT
(SHE/HER)
Follow @juniormintt
Junior Mintt (she/her) is a drag artist in Brooklyn, out to show how Minty the world can be with a little kindness, empathy, and a strong Black, Trans, Queer perspective. She educates and entertain with motivational apeaking, burlesque, drag, visual arts, and stand up flavors in an empowering and intersectional twist. No matter what happens, when you see Junior Mintt, you'll leave feeling motivated and embraced.
Q: What does Feminism mean to you?
JM: Feminism to me means fighting for every woman and femme in our community. Feminism means not allowing our community to fall through the cracks because they identify as trans or non-binary. Feminism means making sure that black trans women are centered in the conversation around how we move forward as a movement and how we grow as a movement.
Q: What does radical visibility look like for you?
JM: Radical visibility to me means, getting rid of any idea that there is a qualifier in order for you to be seen, acknowledged, and valued for exactly who you are within your community. There shouldn’t be hoops to jump through or pieces of yourself that you have to conceal in order to be valued in not only our community, but to yourself as well. Every piece of you is beautiful and deserves to be uplifted and loved.
Q: HOW DO YOU TAKE UP SPACE?
JM: My preferred way to take up space is by living in my radical joy towards myself. I love my hair, I love my voice, and I love getting to speak my mind. So, I take up space by not lowering my voice to suit other peoples comfortability. I take up space by making sure my afro is as big as I can get it before I go out. But also when I’m performing I always take up space by creating mixes and numbers that not only make white, cis, privileged people uncomfortable, but holds them accountable. Not to mention taking up space by letting every black person and trans person I see how beautiful they are!
Q: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A TRANS ACTIVIST RIGHT NOW AND HOW CAN WE SUSTAIN THE MOVEMENT?
JM: To be a trans activist right now means having to see that the societal fights for enfranchisement are interconnected. As a trans activist you must recognize that to fight for trans liberation, you must also be fighting for prison abolition, decriminalization of sex work, of course Black trans Lives Matter, etc.
ORGANIZATIONS TO FOLLOW AND SUPPORT CURATED BY JUNIOR MINTT
📌Black Trans Travel Fund — Donate
@blacktranstravelfund
📌for the gworls — DOnate
@forthegworls
📌Marsha P. Johnson Institute — Donate
@mpjinstitute
NALA SIMONE TOUSSAINT
(SHE/HER/GODDESS)
Follow @nalasimonet
Nala Simone Toussaint is a trans afro-caribbean Model, activist, and healer. With a background in grassroots activism and community building. nala works with orgs to spark impactful change through policy, activism, and education. nala is the founder of Reuniting of African Descendants (R.O.A.D) which is a trans led grassroots initiative invested in equity, collective growth, and healing for LGBTQIA+/SGL people of African Descendants.
Q: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A TRANS ACTIVIST RIGHT NOW AND HOW CAN WE SUSTAIN THE MOVEMENT?
NST: Being a Black Trans activist in this moment in time means wearing many hats. Oftentimes, we are educators, facilitators, confidantes, and warriors, all in one. We have to juggle educating the world about the Black Trans experience and the issues that affect us. We have to strategize around our safety and the safety of people like us. We have to then turn around and navigate anti-Blackness and discrimination from non-Black Trans folks too! It's a lot of work but there is also so much power in it. Being a Black Trans activist is about reclaiming our space, our pride, and our divinity. Others can support the movement by funneling resources directly to Black Trans activists and organizations, such as @road_4_us, and by passing the mic to Black Trans people on their platforms.
