Dude mag seeks trans stories
Website: http://www.samesame.com.au/features/7189/Dude-mag-seeks-trans-stories.htm
When new queer magazine Dude first launched in February this year, it took Melbourne by storm and it was a huge hit. There had never really been anything like it before in Australia.
The trans male magazine focused on the images, interests, health and sexuality info surrounding female-to-male transsexuality. It features original comics, photography and drawings, health and well being information, original stories, erotic fiction and poetry, all centered around the trans male experience.
For those unaccustomed to transsexuality, it began to answer the often asked questions and curiosities. For those who are transsexual, Dude was one of the first times they were actually able to find a solid point of identification.
The first 500 copies printed up were quickly snapped up, leading to a second edition print. An official launch party for the new and improved print run is scheduled for August 27 in Melbourne.
“I’ve been lucky because I’ve been overseas where Trans culture is much more developed, supported and talked about,” says Dude editor and Trans-man Jez Pez (picture 2, photo by Morgan Carpenter for Dirty Queer Magazine). “I came back from my time overseas with a much stronger sense of who I was, and I wanted to share that somehow.
“I created Dude because I really wanted to share what I had learned. I wanted Trans people to have more hot and safe sex, to know and understand themselves a bit more, and obviously to create more understanding within the GLBTI community.”
When issue #1 was launched, Pez told Same Same that it could be exhausting and at times offensive when people ask the usual ‘dumb’ questions, or worse pose those questions insensitively.
“I realize that there is a lot of curiosity. I understand that, but people don’t realize how tiresome it can be to constantly have to explain yourself. Transmen consider ourselves men. And we are sexual beings amongst other things. Until now there hasn’t been much that people could turn to for easily understandable information. I hope Dude changes that.”
Since publishing the first issue of Dude, Pez has become a vocal and visible spokesman for the Trans-male community in Victoria, speaking at seminars like Melbourne Pleasure Salon, and on radio shows like JOY 94.9’s Hide and Seek.
Now he is preparing for the 2nd issue of Dude, and excitedly calling for submissions from all over Australia, New Zealand and the world, around the theme of ‘body image’. Submissions may take the form of drawings, images, text, and writings.
“Is the trans movement celebrating body type diversity in positive ways? Does it further impose mainstream pressures on our body image? How can we celebrate all body types in healthy and constructive ways? And how do we do this without adding to the fetishisation of the sex and gender diverse community?” These are just some of the questions Pez asks potential contributors to consider in the submission call out.
Deadline for submissions are October 31st, 2011. For full information on Dude #2 submissions click here.
Dude#1 will have a huge launch party on August 27 at Wesley Anne (250 High Street, Northcote) from 8pm.