Gender Euphoria Deck

“Ultimately, we have always been here creating what is possible, and our lives and our magic are unstoppable.” - Chase Strangio, lawyer.

The above quotes are some that will appear in a deck of thirty-two inspirational cards that I’ve been developing as I watch the rise of anti-trans hate in the U.S. and throughout the world.

With a record-breaking number of anti-trans bills introduced in 2024 in the U.S., and with three Canadian provinces falling in step with the hate, my activism has become more than a desire to help, it’s become a passionate undertaking to educate and inform. My quest is guided by a love for friends and family who identify as trans, nonbinary and/or 2 spirit.

My loved ones in the above-mentioned communities are wonderful people: creative, intelligent, talented, loving. And they deserve a chance to live their lives free of the discrimination that seeks to eradicate them.

This deck of cards, called the Gender Euphoria Deck, contains thoughtful quotes from folks in those communities: thirty-two beautiful cards, each one containing inspiring words, with an accompanying illustration.

The photos you see here are my mock-ups of the proposed cards. My vision is a simple set of line drawings (four in all) that recur (with different quotes) throughout the deck.

A hundred decks (with boxes) will cost an estimated $1000. Moving forward I would run a fundraiser to cover costs. I have experience with raising funds as I raised 8K when my beloved dog needed life-saving surgery. The love that drove that funder is the same powerful love that drives this one, a passion to save the lives of worthy beings, in this case human beings who are being denied their humanity.

“I think it is so important not to live your life in fear, and to be yourself and to help people. And that’s what I’ve tried to do.” - Dr Rachel Levine, U.S. Assistant Secretary for Health

About my funder for my dog:

Profits will go to the American Civil Liberties Union, whose lawyers have toiled tirelessly to challenge anti-trans bills in the U.S., as attacks on trans folk escalate. Lawyer Chase Strangio of ACLU made history on Dec 4, 2024 as the first openly trans lawyer to argue a case before the Supreme Court. The case concerned Tennessee's medication and hormone therapy ban for trans (but not cis) youth. Chase and his team argued that this was sex-based discrimination therefore unconstitutional. (SCOTUS will not reach a decision until June '25).

"It's not a stretch to say that representation, like the kind of representation that's happening on social media for Indigenous young people, is lifesaving.” - Kairyn Potts, influencer.

In the U.S., migration to safe states - that is, states with protections in place for trans folk - is now a glaring reality for many individuals and families. Lies coming from the far-right are being accepted as truth all around the world, including in Canada, where I live. Therefore, I would also like to channel profits into hardworking Canadian organizations such as Toronto's 2SLGBTQ+ community hub The 519 and Momentum Canada.

I have approached my local bookstores about carrying the decks and several have signed on to do so. With a good online marketing plan the deck will not take long to go beyond local sales. This plan will be devised with help from ace branding expert Lucah Rosenberg-Lee (if he will accept the job and if I have funds). Lucah is the director of the film Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story.

"I don't bow down." - Jackie Shane, soul singer.

Monetary profits from the deck may just be drops in the bucket when it comes to combating hate but the real purpose of the deck is to uplift and empower trans folk while also educating cis folk. Each card may have a link to a Vocal Story written by me that provides a bio for the person quoted along with relevant resources, statistics and information, including a glossary and historical notes.

The quotes come from a wide swath of folks: activists like Syrus Marcus Ware; writers such as Kai Cheng Thom; actresses like Hunter Schafer and Dominque Jackson; politicians such as Sarah McBride, who recently became the first openly trans Member of Congress.

All my information is meticulously researched to guarantee accuracy of facts. After all, the aim here is to dispel disinformation and correct misinformation. This can only be achieved by using reliable studies, reputable sources, scientific facts and most importantly, the voices of trans folks themselves.

“The more I hold myself close and fully embrace who I am, the more I thrive.” - Elliot Page, actor.

The deck is for all genders: for cis folks, the quotes and their corresponding Vocal Stories can provide learning opportunities and awakenings; for trans and nonbinary and 2 spirit people the quotes will be affirmative and galvanizing and a good way to help family and friends understand who they really are.

Online or with the deck will be brief suggestions on how to use the cards:

1) “The Deal”: laying the cards out like a tarot spread and interpreting them as fortunes, signs, pathways.

2) “The Shuffle”: randomly picking a card to guide you through the day.

3) “The Hand You’re Dealt”: with friends or family, draw cards, read out loud, discuss.

4) “32 Pick Up”: alone or with others, slowly and thoughtfully, read through the entire deck.

This artistic deck provides words to live by and words to inspire one to action, whether within one’s own heart or in the world at large.

"When you put love out in the world, it travels and it can touch people and reach people in ways we never even expected." - Laverne Cox, actress

The Gender Euphoria Deck aims to challenge cisnormativity and boost transnormativity. It aims to show us how we can, as Alok V. Menon says, "love harder".

My Top Story:

Thanks for reading!