Tara's Thoughts

I’m not sure if England still wants me. I feel at home when I'm riding my bike through rolling hills, when I'm wandering on the beach at low tide with my shoes off, when I'm walking in the woods with the doggies, when I'm heading down a busy street and hearing 5 different languages.   I feel at home when I’m with my partner, when we’ve sat together and enjoyed a delicious meal one of us has cooked.   In the time we’ve lived together, we’ve enjoyed a steady arms race of cooking, as we have each developed our own niche recipes.   I have effectively appropriated a broad Italian inspired repertoire, whereas she remains devoted to Mexican-oriented dishes.   Her vegetarian bean and Quorn tacos are to die for. Just recently, I was on a usual Sunday ride through the New Forest—a cyclist’s playground, and a place that has become an integrated part of my own perception of my home.   Southampton is a city where I never intended to find myself living, when I, as a 21-...

  Trans Joy is a Privilege, and More People Need to Acknowledge That There’s a phrase that does the rounds in queer spaces — especially among trans people — and that’s “trans joy.” You see it in photos taken just after surgery, in posts celebrating HRT milestones, in little exchanges of “your name really suits you” and “I love how you’ve grown into yourself.” And it makes sense.   For a community that’s spent so long being defined by trauma, shame, and sheer survival, the idea of joy feels almost revolutionary.   It’s resistance.   It’s hope.   It’s a reason to keep going. But here’s the truth I’ve had to sit with: trans joy is a privilege.   And we don’t talk about that nearly enough. First of all, lets actually define what I mean.   “Trans Joy” — often referred to as gender euphoria—is the profound, affirming sense of happiness, peace, or rightness that many trans people experience when their gender identity is acknowledged, respected, or refl...