Avery Cheeseman, arts & culture editor

Minnesota is home to the highest percentage of trans adults in the country. Because of this, Minneapolis is a thriving hub for queer life. For many trans individuals, moving to Minneapolis can provide safety due to the pro trans legislation in the state, as well as the supportive community that Minneapolis boasts. Our city, in particular, has been deeply impacted by the trans artists who call this chilly city home.

Minneapolis hosted its first, very own transgender artist market on Sept. 20 at Makwa Coffee Shop. A small gathering of booths and about thirty people showed up to support this artist market. Even though the turnout was small, its impact on the overall community was not. An event like this has a larger impact than one might first assume. As this country continues to pass anti-transgender legislation, the trans community continues to stand together. Focusing on trans artists is always important, but especially right now, as trans people across the country are experiencing a rollback of support. Giving trans artists visibility and space is one of the best ways that allies and queer people alike can promote the well-being of trans artists.

I got the pleasure of sitting down and talking to Augsburg student, Charlie Harding, who went to this market. He talked with me about his experiences at the market this weekend and the importance of trans representation. Charlie made it clear that this market was cool to see. He comes from somewhere that does not have many events for visibly queer and transgender people, so coming to an event like this was so special for him. The location was also something that struck Charlie. According to him, “I think having it at a coffee shop where people are going to see it on the side and decide to check it out, who would not normally go there, [more people] can be exposed to that kind of thing.” In Charlie’s eyes, this kind of regular exposure can do wonders for giving more transgender artists and just people in general more visibility and further acceptance.

Another important focal point of this market was the focus on trans joy. Because of the hardship and oppression that many transgender people face, especially now, it is so easy to only focus on the sadness that can come with the trans experience. However, it is more important than ever to focus on trans joy. We need to see the beauty and happiness that can occur through radical self-love and the joy that can be felt through the residence of transgender people. Their existence has been ever stigmatized, but they continue to exist and thrive. Trans joy is a radical thing. Supporting this joy in such an outward way is a beautiful act of the community, seen in the Twin Cities art community at large.