Introducing… Matt Kailey’s “Tranifesto” Blog
A Note to the Reader: Matt Kailey, the subject of this post, sadly passed away unexpectedly in May 2014. You can read my tribute to him here.
Matt Kailey’s “Tranifesto” blog is one of the largest transgender education resources I have come across on the internet. First I’ll let him tell you about himself…
From the About Matt Kailey page:
Matt Kailey is a transsexual man and an award-winning author, blogger, teacher, and community leader, as well as a nationally recognized speaker and trainer on transgender issues.
He is the author of Just Add Hormones: An Insider’s Guide to the Transsexual Experience (Beacon Press), a Lambda Literary Award finalist and Rocky Mountain News local bestseller, and Teeny Weenies and Other Short Subjects, a collection of humorous and heartfelt essays about his life before and after transition. In addition, his work has appeared in numerous publications, from anthologies to professional journals.
He is also a media personality who has appeared on local and national radio and television, in local and national print publications, and in five documentary films.
Matt began his transition from female to male in 1997 after forty-two years of living as a straight female. Since then, he has spoken to and trained thousands of people at venues across the country, including universities, businesses, and organizations, and has consulted with human resources personnel and managers in major corporations, small businesses, and government agencies on transition in the workplace.
His expertise ranges from transgender basics to on-the-job transition strategies to essential information for faculty, civil servants, therapists-in-training, medical personnel, and other professionals who work with diverse populations.
And now about his blog:
Welcome to Tranifesto, a blog and website offering information and opinion about transgender and transsexual issues and experience from someone who’s been there. Tranifesto is meant to engage, educate, and hopefully, at times, entertain. Comments are welcome. Through reader comments, other readers can learn about the diverse opinions and lives of trans people.
As I mentioned, the amount of information on this blog is incredible. There are hundreds of blog posts addressing pretty much any question and topic anyone could have about the transgender experience. Matt both shares his own personal experience of being a trans man as well as describing the many other perspectives of others who are trans. Almost every blog post has links to other resources on the internet to give readers the chance to further explore their questions.
How Matt Kailey Helped in Creating this Blog
I’ve known about Matt Kailey since 2007. At the time I was working at the Colorado Springs Pride Center and we were hosting a book signing for a book Matt edited, Focus on the Fabulous (a witty play-on-words to counter the Colorado Springs-based Focus on the Family organization). Since then I’ve enjoyed seeing him speak at a variety of conferences and meetings (I should probably note that, although he is known world-wide, I am lucky enough to work only an hour from where he is based in Denver).
Fast forward six years. In April 2013 I started to put the wheels in motion to create this website. In a moment of sweet serendipity, Matt’s blog post that week was called Five Attributes of Trans Allies. It addressed exactly what I was concerned about. I wanted to be sure that my blog posts would reflect my perspective as a gender therapist and a trans ally. At the same time I knew it was important that I let the transgender voices speak, as opposed to it being me speaking for them.
I then took things a step further and contacted Matt to let him know about my upcoming project (we’d been in touch in the past for business-related purposes). When I think back on it I can see that I wanted to get his “blessing,” because of how much I respect him and his work. He responded with enthusiasm and encouragement, and has been available to offer me advice along the way.
This blog has been helped by Matt in other ways as well. His “virtual presence” is felt on in many of my blog posts, as well as in my Terminology section.
I’ve been an email subscriber to the Tranifesto blog for over a year now and, thanks to Matt’s posts and the comments left by his readers, I am a better gender therapist and trans ally for it.
Homework Assignment
Are you wanting to learn more about the transgender experience because you are a therapist, a relative or friend or co-worker to someone trans, or want to be a trans ally? Are you transgender and want more information, insight, and guidance about what it means to be trans from someone who has been there? Read Matt Kailey’s Tranifesto blog!
Matt Kailey: A Tribute to a Legendary Contributor to the Transgender Movement - Conversations with a Gender Therapist
May 20, 2014 at 9:53 AM[…] Here’s another post I wrote in July 2013 introducing Matt Kailey’s Tranifesto to reade… […]
Gia sollami
November 28, 2016 at 1:41 AMHello I’m a 26 year old female. Though all my life I’ve always been a boy at heart, being in my current body makes e really uncomfortable and hate myself I have become very depressed lately because it’s all I can think about, just being someone different.
K yg
May 3, 2017 at 9:34 AMIam not sure but I hadon’t a crush on a girl even though iam a girl. I have already overcome that feeling. And I still wonder am I a trans* cuz I like to be a boy not from my birth I have been a girly girl till I reach 14 years. But now iam 17 and I have my hair short and I dress like a bit like a boy. And I don’t know whether I feel comfortable in it. But I really am having a hard time now. So plz reply me. Please I really need your help.!