Friday, April 01, 2016

Equality Texas Kicks Off The TransVisible Project

Was at the Mixed Emotions Gallery in the heart of Montrose last night for the well attended kickoff of the TransVisible Project. sponsored by the EQTX Foundation with the support of the ACLU of Texas.  

And you couldn't have picked a more perfect day for this TransVisible Project kickoff to happen than on the Transgender Day of Visibility

What's the TransVisible project?  It is a collection of gallery quality photos of a diverse group of transgender and gender non conforming Texans taken by photographer Eric Edward Schell for use in a broad transgender prejudice reduction public education campaign.  Some of the TransVisible posters are in Spanish

:The purpose of TVP is to educate Texans that transgender people are our neighbors, families, coworkers and friends," said Lou Wearer, the transgender programs coordinator for Equality Texas.

The event started at 6 PM, and the enthusiasm behind this event was so high that people were lined up 15 minuted before the scheduled start of the kickoff event waiting for the gallery to open for it.

The night was dedicated to celebrating and sharing the stories of trans and gender non conforming Texans and their ongoing pursuit of equality and fairness in the Lone Star State.

The kickoff event for this year long project also featured a panel moderated by Lou Weaver with TransVisible Project participants Reagan White, Dylan Forbis and Becca Keo-Meier as they told their stories to the overflow crowd of people in attendance for the kickoff event.

I missed much of the panel discussion because I was tapped to tape an on camera interview as the educational panel discussion was going on, but once I was done with it, I did get to once again share space with many of the Houston trans and gender nonconforming folks and allies I have mad love and respect for.

I'm honored to be part of it along with my Texas trans and gender non conforming siblings. .I'm also hopeful that the TransVisible Project accomplishes its goal of reducing the anti-trans prejudice that has been fueled by the hell fire flames of anti-trans ignorance and crass short term political gain.

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