TransLab

Louis Graydon Sullivan (June 16, 1951 – March 2, 1991) was a passionate American author and activist dedicated to supporting transgender men. Sullivan was a trailblazer in supporting the grassroots female-to-male (FTM) community and played a key role in helping individuals access peer support, counselling, endocrine services, and reconstructive surgeries outside traditional gender dysphoria clinics. Sullivan may have been the first trans man to openly identify as gay, and played a significant role in helping the world understand that s*xual orientation and gender identity are two separate, important aspects of our identities.

Created by Lou Sullivan, the FTM newsletter was published four times a year from 1987 until 2008. It fostered a sense of connection and community among transmasculine individuals, featuring articles, books, and film reviews, as well as the ‘malebox’, a space where readers could write to the editors with questions or for advice. Many readers chose to use pseudonyms when reaching out or writing articles, although some contributions from prominent activists are well-known and traceable back to the pages of FTM.

The special double episode of OFTV celebrates the remarkable life of Lou Sullivan, the pioneering gay FTM who was instrumental in shaping the vibrant FTM community we know today. Listen to the episode here: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/one-from-the-vaults-27384/episodes/oftv-19-lou-in-the-city-of-nig-18451889

Today, all 67 issues of FTM can be accessed in person or online via the Trans Archives in Special Collections at the University of Victoria in Victoria, B.C., Canada. This series has been carefully scanned and reviewed to protect privacy, with some personal details redacted.
Check out the FTM Newsletter online here:
https://vault.library.uvic.ca/collections/d13ed5ae-6ea3-4cb8-b72a-4a5c794982b6?locale=en

"Before social media, before blogs, before group chats and Discord servers, trans people found one another in the margins. In envelopes. In photocopied pages passed hand to hand, folded into pockets, mailed quietly across borders, trans folks shared lived experiences, knowledge, and support through zines. Zines weren’t just creative projects; they were lifelines."

We’re pleased to share a new piece by Jay Learn, Trans Zines and the T Shelf*, tracing this history and introducing the T Shelf, a TransLab feature highlighting zines and other works that shape trans research, culture, and lived experience.

Every zine is a reminder that knowledge lives in communities, and that our stories have always been written, shared, and carried forward.

Trans* Zines and the T Shelf - Transgender Studies Research Hub Before social media, before blogs, before group chats and Discord servers, trans people found one another in the margins. In envelopes. In photocopied pages passed hand to hand, folded into pockets, mailed quietly across borders, trans folks shared lived experiences, knowledge, and support through z...

🌈📣 The T Shelf 🔥🌈

This week’s pick: Mosaic LGBT+ Young Persons’ Trust

This zine is a magical collection of creative work by young LGBT+ people supported by Mosaic LGBT+ Young Persons’ Trust (ages 12–18 and 18–25). Through art, poetry, and collective expression, this zine reflects a community committed to supporting, educating, and inspiring LGBT+ youth, while celebrating the diversity of young people and their lived experiences.

Throughout the issue, you’ll find recurring carabiners exploring the intersectionality of identities, inviting readers to pause, notice, and decode their meanings. ✨

Calls to action and themes of solidarity and unionization run throughout the work, reflecting individuals’ responses to ongoing injustice. This work feels especially grounding and necessary in today’s political climate.

📖 Read it online or download it here: https://mosaictrust.org.uk/zine/

Got a rec? Let’s connect. Slide into our DMs or email us. Let’s build this shelf together.