November 20th is Transgender Day of Remembrance. Every year I do a self portrait shoot honoring the lives lost due to anti-trans hate and violence. This year, I wanted to create art that could not only honor our trans ancestors, but educate the world on our history.

“Transgender Day of Remembrance seeks to highlight the losses we face due to anti-transgender bigotry and violence. I am no stranger to the need to fight for our rights, and the right to simply exist is first and foremost. With so many seeking to erase transgender people — sometimes in the most brutal ways possible — it is vitally important that those we lose are remembered, and that we continue to fight for justice.” – Transgender Day of Remembrance founder Gwendolyn Ann Smith

Donald Trump was quoted in a recent interview claiming that “No serious country should be telling it’s children that they were born with the wrong gender—a concept that was never heard of in all of human history—nobody’s ever heard of this, what’s happening today. It was all when the radical left invented it just a few years ago.”

That statement couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Trans people have in fact, always existed. We HAVE always been here and we WILL always be here. You can’t erase us. Trans existence is rooted in human history.

Trans existence is rooted in human history, documented in art, literature, and oral traditions worldwide. For example, the hijras of South Asia have been a recognized third gender for over 4,000 years, with references in ancient Hindu texts like the Mahabharata. In Indigenous cultures across North America, Two-Spirit individuals—those embodying both masculine and feminine traits—have been integral to tribal communities for centuries, respected as healers, leaders, and keepers of cultural knowledge.

The Roman Emperor Elagabalus, who ruled in the 3rd century CE, is often described in historical texts as seeking gender affirmation. Elagabalus reportedly asked to be addressed as a woman and offered great wealth to any physician who could perform surgeries to align their body with their identity. In 18th-century France, Chevalier d’Éon lived openly as a woman for much of their life, serving in the French court and military. These examples, and countless others, further prove that transgender identities are not a modern invention or a “trend”.

I printed news clippings, historical facts, quotes, obituaries, and photos that document the presence of transgender and gender-diverse people across cultures and eras. This “wall of proof” showcases evidence that trans people have always been part of the human story.

I used a chalkboard as the central element, symbolizing the timeless act of learning and teaching since so much of the world seems to be extremely uneducated when it comes to trans people.

This project isn’t just about compiling evidence; it’s about reclaiming space for our ancestors. From Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, who ignited the Stonewall uprising and paved the way for LGBTQ+ liberation, to the unnamed individuals in history who lived and died without recognition, this wall stands as a tribute to their resilience.

Marsha P. Johnson, a Black trans woman, and Sylvia Rivera, a Latina trans woman, were two of the most prominent activists in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights. Their courage during the 1969 Stonewall riots challenged police brutality and sparked a movement that continues to this day. Johnson famously said, “No pride for some of us without liberation for all of us.” These words remind us that our fight for equality has always been about the collective—not just individuals, but communities coming together to demand justice.

Trans people have been part of the human story for thousands of years, and we will continue to shape it for generations to come. By sharing my art and the history behind it, I hope to remind people to memorialize the trans lives that history has tried to erase while educating viewers on the undeniable presence of trans and gender-diverse individuals throughout time.

Rest in Power to our trans ancestors. They never gave up the fight, so neither will we. 🏳️‍⚧️