Empowering Black Trans Lives through Supportive Spaces

When Laverne Cox appeared on the cover Timethe country was abuzz with what this could mean for trance People. Will this mean that black trans women, at the forefront of cultural trends but often erased from political conversations, will finally get their long-deserved due? Will this mean America will finally be ready to acknowledge its long history of violence against gender-expansive people?

So many questions were raised then, so much excitement and hope were born. While the trans community celebrated accolades and visibility, transphobes demanded that we prove why we should be allowed to exist.

Despite ongoing attack In terms of transgender identity, Black transgender people continue to be at the forefront of liberation movements and create new art, creating worlds that help us all dream beyond this world.

When people ask me why there are so few trans-inclusive spaces, I first have to acknowledge that incredible Black trans people are cultivating affirming spaces in the arts. The truth is that these same forces understand the undeniable power of art. How it helps shape minds, creating visions of worlds beyond oppression, beyond white supremacy, beyond fear, terror and hatred.

Art also demands that who we witness on our stages, in these spaces, is who we demand to center.

Art can show us that the world is not exclusive, but is as vast as the imagination that creates it. And it can confirm to us that we must not allow white supremacy to occupy this world or dictate the conditions of life in it. Of course, the great illusion and lie we have been told about artistic theater is that it can be free of the realpolitik in which its institutions exist.

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How can I pretend that American theaterAs an organization, it still refuses to address the betrayal of the ideals it said it wanted to embody in 2020. The 2023-2024 theater season will not feature a full-length play by a Black trans woman. And I dare say there doesn’t seem to be any point in having more than one. While Black trans playwrights exist, shining in their brilliance, the American Theater has yet to commit to expanding whose work can be seen on its stages. The truth is that the theater, like the country, must recognize its debt to those who ensure its existence. To ensure that those who will see to it that art is revered for the life-affirming calling that it can be.

To save democracyWe must first save the people – the artists.

Theater can be a trendsetter and educate its audience about what our responsibility to social justice and liberation can and should be. While visibility does not equal work, visibility can be a tool that reinforces who we are determined to respect and reminds others that we have the right and will continue to exist.

Our commitment to creating a positive space for transgender people can save lives. It can also send a clear message about where we are politically and culturally, and clarify who we think deserves to exist not only on our stage, but in our country, communities and lives.

A world free of oppression is possible, but not without black trans people. So, if you want to free yourself, get involved in the lives of black trans people. And begin to cultivate spaces that affirm us – in art, politics, the future and the present.

Lady Dane Figueroa Edidi is an award-winning playwright, choreographer and human rights activist. She founded The Inanna D Initiatives, which curates, produces and develops events and initiatives designed to center and celebrate the work of TGNC Artists of Color.

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