Dublin Core
Title
J Mase III
Subject
Trans people seeking cover, resources, fellowship, and activism in a common struggle have been willing to join and blend into the larger LGBTQ movement. But their issues too often were lost or minimized as the implications of difference compelled solidarity through coalition rather than through integration. As J Mase III observes, "I believed in this very romantic myth of a cohesive LGBTQ community. … What I discovered was that the reality of being a trans person of color is often talked about within the LGBTQ community, but not actually addressed."
To circumvent this racial exclusion and silencing of the black trans voice, J Mase III and his colleague, Lady Dane Figueroa, initiated the #TransphobiaIsASin campaign on social media. They sought to highlight religious-based violence and spiritual abuse. As co-editors of the "Black Trans Prayer Book," they strove to inspire people within and outside of spiritual communities to address this violence. The protest ritual they conducted on social media drew participants from over six countries on three continents who shared their photos to embrace any one of the four propositions that this team proposed to disrupt conventional religious thinking:
1. Transphobia Is a Sin;
2. Transphobia is Haram (Arabic word for sin);
3. Trans People are Divine
4. Trans People Exist Because Our Ancestors Existed.
Their team regards such action as but a small part of the comprehensive project that is needed to decolonize faith practices. Hence, they encourage people of various faith traditions or backgrounds to secure BIPOC Trans folks' rights to heal in the context of spiritual community.
To circumvent this racial exclusion and silencing of the black trans voice, J Mase III and his colleague, Lady Dane Figueroa, initiated the #TransphobiaIsASin campaign on social media. They sought to highlight religious-based violence and spiritual abuse. As co-editors of the "Black Trans Prayer Book," they strove to inspire people within and outside of spiritual communities to address this violence. The protest ritual they conducted on social media drew participants from over six countries on three continents who shared their photos to embrace any one of the four propositions that this team proposed to disrupt conventional religious thinking:
1. Transphobia Is a Sin;
2. Transphobia is Haram (Arabic word for sin);
3. Trans People are Divine
4. Trans People Exist Because Our Ancestors Existed.
Their team regards such action as but a small part of the comprehensive project that is needed to decolonize faith practices. Hence, they encourage people of various faith traditions or backgrounds to secure BIPOC Trans folks' rights to heal in the context of spiritual community.
Source
Nicole L. Cvetnic, 9 Transgender Men of Color You Should Know, The Root, June 26, 2015. https://www.theroot.com/9-transgender-men-of-color-you-should-know-1790860386
J Mase III, Guest Opinion: On Jussie, hate crimes & the continuation of disbelief. Bay Area Reporter. February 27, 2019.
https://www.ebar.com/story.php?ch=news&sc=news&id=272827
J Mase III, Guest Opinion: On Jussie, hate crimes & the continuation of disbelief. Bay Area Reporter. February 27, 2019.
https://www.ebar.com/story.php?ch=news&sc=news&id=272827