📣 No LGB Without T 📣
What’s the T?: Combating Trans Erasure Through Trans Joy
Hey, friends of The Nonbinarian Book Bike, it’s Ro, Co-founder and Director of Programming for Trans formative Schools. We’re an education-based non-profit that has been providing free trans-centered, joy-filled afterschool programming for youth ages 9-15. But we’re not stopping there. We're also in the process of launching a trans middle school too! (Yeah, get excited!)
While we appreciate the chance to build a joyful space, we cannot overlook the somber reality facing the trans community. Our children endure relentless bullying in schools, with many forced to switch institutions or resort to homeschooling to escape the pain and harm inflicted upon them.
This struggle is further exacerbated by a government that not only targets our rights to gender-affirming care but also aims to erase our existence from the conversation altogether. It is a heavy burden to bear as we fight for recognition and dignity in a world that often feels hostile and unwelcoming.
Recently, the ‘T’ has been removed from LGBT on the Department of State website. This is a blatant disregard and erasure of the history and contributions of trans individuals in the fight for LGBTQIA+ rights. The Stonewall riots were pivotal in shaping the movement, and the fact that the Stonewall National Monument's website fails to acknowledge the leadership of trans individuals during those crucial moments feels like a betrayal to those who fought so hard for recognition and equality.
But I’m here. Our trans kids, our trans siblings, and our trans elders are here.
On February 8, an incredible crowd of about 7 thousand people came together at Union Square for our Rally for Trans Youth. That day was not just a gathering; it was a blazing testament to our solidarity and collective strength. Our stories are powerful and we will continue to share them, amplifying the voices of our vibrant trans community. Every chant, every banner, every heart beating in unison that day was a declaration of our commitment to justice and equality. Together, we are an unstoppable force for change and nothing will shake our resolve.
At Trans formative Schools, our students are a phenomenal group of curious, thoughtful, hilarious, and creative youth. They make the community a loving, warm, and welcoming space where all can explore their identities, share of themselves, and question our world’s inequitable status quo. Together, we continue to build a space that is safe enough for all to take the positive risks necessary to learn and to make change. Together, we prove that trans folks aren’t going anywhere.
Let’s keep this momentum going—our fight is far from over! Here are three ways to support trans youth today:
Donate to Trans formative Schools: Help fund trans futures by making ongoing, reassuring donations.
Advocate for trans kids: Join our coalition and show up to CEC meetings. Help us remove anti-trans members from school boards across the city; replacing them with a new generation of progressive champions.
Apply to Afterschool: Encourage a youth you know, ages 9-15, to join our trans-centered and joy-filled educational program. Help them find community with us.
When trans kids are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!
- Ro Peña (they/elle), Trans formative Schools Co-Founder & Director of Programming
Middle Grade Reader Reward Program
Proposed by a voracious 8-year-old reader and neighborhood regular at The Nonbinarian Bookstore, we want to reward young readers like her by launching a reader reward program!
Designed for readers ages 8-12, for every 5 books read, receive a 10% off coupon to be applied at The Nonbinarian Bookstore! Start your reader reward card in store to track books read, collect stamps as you go, and receive your coupon for every 5 books read!
Whether 5 books or 50, we want to encourage developing readers in fostering their love of books all year long. Know a young reader in your life based in Brooklyn? The Nonbinarian wants to cheer them on!
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Bookshop.org Nonbinarian Book List Recs
+ Partner Wishlists
When you choose The Nonbinarian Bookstore as your bookstore to support and shop our book lists or any item on Bookshop.org, we receive a 30% affiliate fee from every sale! The affiliate fee directly supports us as a newly opened bookstore as well as sustaining our mutual aid initiative, The Nonbinarian Book Bike.
If you would like to purchase books to donate to The Nonbinarian, please shop below:
Nonbinarian General Inventory — We love it; you love it. Help us restock some of our favorite books for adults.
Nonbinarian Kids Book Inventory — Board and picture books are always the first to go at outings—help keep us stocked!
Spanish-language Books — Help us increase our high demand Spanish-language offerings in-store and on the Book Bike.
If you would like to donate books to our partners, please shop below:
Drag Story Hour x The Nonbinarian — Picture books from the DSH NYC book list!
Trans formative Schools x The Nonbinarian — Help stock the classroom of a local trans-centered after school program, TfS!
The Reading for Black Lives Project x The Nonbinarian — Specifically Black + queer, all books from this wishlist go towards our comrade in free book distro in Brooklyn, R4BL.
Project Human Dignity x The Nonbinarian — Help build a permanent library for an adolescent (9-17), in-patient psych ward—because everyone deserves to see themselves on the shelf.
We have a host of events planned in March! Here’s what’s happening this month. All times EST; 💻 = virtual, 🛍 = in-store, 🚲 = off-site. Reminder: All in-store events at The Nonbinarian Bookstore are masks required! Testing is encouraged and we have free tests on-site, but negative tests will not be accepted in lieu of a well-fitted mask.
🛍 T4T Clothing Swap: Sunday, March 2, 1—4 p.m.
💻 Virtual Monthly QT Meditation: Monday, March 3, 8:30—9 p.m., Zoom
🛍 Lexperts Series: The Art of Dopamine Dressing: Friday, March 7, 7—8 p.m.
$15 (FREE with Lex+), RSVP via Eventbrite
Malea Kimberly shares tips for identifying your personal style, how to style vs just wear your clothes, tips for developing your wardrobe on a low budget, and dopamine dressing!🛍 Queer Disability Aid Art as Art Therapy Support Group: Sunday, March 9, 7—8:30 p.m., RSVP*
Personal collage-making workshop. *SOLD OUT—please fill out the form to join the waiting list.💻 Virtual Queer Writers Brooklyn Workshop: Tuesday, March 11, 7—8 p.m., Zoom
🛍💻 Hybrid Knit to Resist: Wednesday, March 12, 6—7 p.m., Zoom
No registration needed for in-store attendance.🛍 Queer Memoir with Authors Edgar Gomez & Jackie Domenus: Thursday, March 13, 7—8 p.m., RSVP via Partiful
🛍 COVID-Conscious Crafting: Sunday, March 16, 1—3 p.m., RSVP via Eventbrite
This month, we're making paper garlands! Bring your own supplies/crafts or come use ours! :)🛍💻 Hybrid The Sick Times International Long COVID Awareness Event: Tuesday, March 18, 7—9 p.m.
Register via Zoom or RSVP via Partiful for in-store attendance.🛍💻 Hybrid Knit to Resist: Wednesday, March 19, 6—7 p.m., Zoom
No registration needed for in-store attendance.🛍 Intimate Fragments: A Smutty Trans Open Mic: Thursday, March 20, 7—9 p.m., RSVP via Partiful
Intimate Fragments offers trans and queer people the space to share their rawest, grittiest, sexiest, and silliest poetic and prose pieces on the themes of love, lust, heartbreak, and SMUT. Hosted by L’or, a lifelong Brooklynite and author of the T4T smut zine Fuckin’ Transplants.🛍 Queer Cookbook Club: Sunday, March 23, 4—6 p.m., RSVP via Partiful
This month’s pick is “Cooking with Trans People of Colour." Recipes of significance from The 519 Trans People of Colour Project (TPOC).🛍 Book Launch: Root Rot by Saskia Nislow with Megan Milks: Tuesday, March 25, 7—8 p.m., RSVP via Partiful
💻 Virtual Queer Writers Brooklyn Workshop: Tuesday, March 25, 7—8 p.m., Zoom
💻 Virtual Tandem Talk with Julia Armfield: Wednesday, March 26, 12—1 p.m., Instagram Live
🛍💻 Hybrid Knit to Resist: Wednesday, March 26, 6—7 p.m., Zoom
No registration needed for in-store attendance.🛍 Lexperts Series: Wednesday, March 26, 7—8 p.m.
RSVP link TK. Watch our social media for details!💻 The Nonbinarian Book Club: Friday, March 28, 8—9 p.m., Zoom
🛍 HANKIE: Friday, March 28, after hours from 9 p.m.—1 a.m.
An inclusive, after-hours sex education and cruising social. PWYC tickets via Partiful.🛍 Little Readers ROAR! Storytime: Sunday, March 30, 11:30 a.m.—12 p.m.
Nonbinarian volunteers read aloud from our favorite picture books, classic and new. Coloring materials provided. Appropriate for ages 0-5; all are welcome.🛍💻 Hybrid Monthly ATLS Name Change Clinic: Sunday, March 30, 2—4 p.m., Zoom
No registration needed for in-store attendance. Please remember to bring a valid government ID for the ATLS notary to see.🛍 Pink Peacock Fundraiser: Sunday, March 30, 8—11 p.m.
RSVP link TK. Watch our social media for details!🛍 Lexperts Series: TDOV Edition: Monday, March 31, 7—8 p.m.
RSVP link TK. Watch our social media for details!🛍💻 Hybrid Reading Trancestors: A Trans History Book Club: Monday, March 31, 8—9 p.m.
🎉 NEW BOOK CLUB! 🎉 Register via Zoom or RSVP via Partiful for in-store attendance.
Hello, March! It’s a big month for book clubs here at the Nonbinarian! Not only are we launching a second, hybrid book club (details below), but we are also featuring one of this month’s authors in a virtual Tandem Talk!
This month, we are reading Private Rites by Julia Armfield. Join us for a Tandem Talk on Wednesday, March 26 at 12 p.m. ET on Instagram Live.
Then join us Friday, March 28 at 8 p.m. ET on Zoom to meet other club members and chat about the book! The Zoom link will be sent out on the day of the meeting.
The Nonbinarian Book Club is a monthly, virtual, queer and trans-focused book club. Attendees will receive $5 off their next purchase at The Nonbinarian Bookstore, in-store or online. Meetings take place on the last Friday of each month and book club picks will be announced via the Nonbinarian Newsletter and social media on the 1st of each month.
If you prefer to listen to the audiobook, support indie bookstores and the Book Bike by purchasing through Libro.fm and selecting us as your store of choice!
Thank you EveryQueer for spotlighting The Nonbinarian Bookstore!
You can now find us on the Everywhere Is Queer map and the LGBTQIA Hub!
The Nonbinarian is proud to partner with the following organizations. Please check out their mission statements and support them however possible.
🌠 Reading 4 Black Lives Project
The Nonbinarian has partnered with ATLS to provide monthly hybrid name change clinic services with the Bookstore. Visit us on the last Sunday of the month from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. EST via Zoom or at 1130 President Street and please bring a valid government ID for the ATLS notary to see.
If you'd like to partner with us for an event or sponsorship, please reach out via e-mail! In addition to subscribing to our newsletter, following us on social media, visiting the store, and participating in events, you can also support the Nonbinarian in the following ways:
📚 Donate a book (or books)! See our used book policy for details.
📚 Donate funds to help upkeep costs rent and bike maintenance! You can make a one-time donation or set up a monthly one on Ko-Fi, or you can donate via Venmo.
📚 Buy a book from our wishlist!
📚 Buy a book through our Bookshop storefront!
📚 Support us with a Libro.fm subscription!
📚 Buy Nonbinarian merch!
To get involved in our virtual or in-person programming, please email info@thenonbinarian.gay!
Thank you to the Nonbinarian community for always showing up and showing out! We wouldn’t be here without our comrades, cheerleaders, volunteers, and backers! It has been a joy to meet you in-store and at pop-ups, interact with you on social media, and get to know the Brooklyn community and its various neighborhoods.
Want to contribute to the Nonbinarian Newsletter?
If you want to submit something to the newsletter, including events, mutual aid needs, book recs, or ideas you'd like to see us include, please email us at newsletter@thenonbinarian.gay.
Thank you for supporting the Nonbinarian Book Bike! Look for our next newsletter on the 1st of the month. In the meantime, follow us on social media for daily updates.