"Eli Erlick's journey "starts with my story being a trans girl who came out in 2003 - before we were supposed to have existed, according to the mainstream media right now," she tells PinkNews. A couple of years ago, frustrated with the "erasure of trans history" and continued anti-trans narratives, she began writing a history book. It spotlights underreported trans stories from 1850 to 1950, including some experiences that "haven't been told in 120 years"."
"In doing so, Eli has come across stories like that of a Black trans woman who had been recently freed from slavery, and was the "earliest case of the government approving a trans woman to live as a woman". As part of her work, Eli colourises historical black and white images. As she explains: "We know from past social movements, particularly the civil rights movement, colourisation brings the subject closer to the viewer.""
A trans activist and academic curates and colorises archival black-and-white photographs to counter the erasure of trans history and make trans lives visible. The project highlights underreported trans stories from 1850 to 1950, including cases not told in over a century and an early instance of government approval for a freed Black trans woman to live as a woman. Colorisation is used to make historical subjects feel closer and contemporary. The work aims to be public, accessible, and understandable to mainstream audiences, challenging withholding of histories by far-right actors, academics, and publishers. Images are shared on X/Twitter and include Stonewall rioters led by Stormé DeLarverie.
Read at PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]