GFH Trans and Non-Binary Gender and Sexuality Resource Guide

May 5, 2021

Written by GFH Admin

May 5, 2021

Written by GFH Admin

Last reviewed & updated on May 5, 2021.

With the vast amounts of misinformation on trans & non-binary people and sexuality, it is important to have resources that provide accurate, affirming, and positive information. This document serves as a compilation of resources for trans and non-binary folks, their partners, and allies. It is by no means an exhaustive list. It will be updated regularly as a living document as more information is discovered and/or created.

We welcome feedback and suggestions on additional resources to add to the list. Some of the information below has been originally referenced by Luna Matatas and Jules Ryan.

Sex educators, therapists, artists, and healers to follow, support, and hire

The individuals and organizations below are trans or non-binary folks who can be followed on social media. Following social accounts is not only informative but also boosts the creator’s profile. Some are interested in paid work for their expertise and wisdom in this and other fields. Supporting trans and non-binary people through paying for their work is an essential aspect of social and economic justice.

BTFA Collective - BTFA is a community-based arts organization that builds community and mobilizes resources to support Black trans femme artists

Businesses to support

There are additional barriers to financing, business licencing, promotion, and selling work for trans and non-binary people. You can directly support the following individuals and businesses by purchasing their goods and services. This conscious action champions the success of these businesses.

In the GTA

In Canada

Femmeboyant Designs

International

Gender identity and expression

The following resources may be helpful for trans and non-binary individuals and those who love them in navigating transition and the gender binary.

Creating Authentic Spaces: A gender identity and gender expression toolkit (produced by The 519 in Toronto)
(Combatting) Gender/Body Dysphoria
Five Ways to Affirm Yourself As a Trans Man
Hudson's FTM Resource Guide: This guide is intended to provide information on topics of interest to FTM / F2M / trans men, and their friends and loved ones
Self-Care When You Feel Dysphoria
Take A Walk On The Wild Side: Women’s clothing designed to fit tall women and men in Toronto
TransGuys.com: An online magazine for trans men

Sexual health and pleasure

Accurate, affirming, and positive sexual health information can be challenging to find for anyone. These resources are even more scarce and harder to come by for trans and non-binary folks. The following were written by and for trans folks.

Bex Talks Sex: Sex toy reviews, sex education, and personal essays by Bex Caputo, transmasc queerdo and educator
Brazen: Trans Women’s Safer Sex Guide: FREE E-Book by CATIE (Canada's source for HIV and hepatitis C information) and The 519 in Toronto.
Primed2: A Sex Guide for Trans Men into Men: FREE E-Book by CATIE (Canada's source for HIV and hepatitis C information).

Community resources and mental health

The following are places for connection and support through transition and navigating the gender binary.

LGBT Youth Line: LGBT YouthLine offers confidential and non-judgemental peer support through telephone, text, and chat services. LGBT YouthLine is a Queer, Trans, Two-Spirit youth-led organization that affirms and supports the experiences of youth (29 and under) across Ontario.
The OK2BME project: OK2BME is a set of free, confidential services, including counselling and a youth group for kids and teens wondering about their sexuality or gender identity.
The HEAL Project: The HEAL Project Is a BIPOC/Trans/Survivor-led initiative preventing and ending child sexual abuse.
Trans Lifeline: Trans Lifeline is a helpline staffed by trans-identified volunteers; call for free at 1-877-330-6366

Media

Books and zines

The following books were written by trans and non-binary folks as ways to empower those who identify with them. They are also important resources for cis-gendered folks to better understand how to support their partners, family members, co-workers, community members, and fellow citizens in their interactions and fight for equality.

A Quick & Easy Guide to Queer & Trans Identities by Mady G., J.R. Zuckerberg. Covering essential topics like sexuality, gender identity, coming out, and navigating relationships, this guide explains the spectrum of human experience through informative comics, interviews, worksheets, and imaginative examples.
A Quick & Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns by Archie Bongiovanni and Tristan Jimerson. A short and fun comic guide explaining what pronouns are, why they matter, and how to use them.
Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars by Kai Cheng Thom. The highly sensational, ultra-exciting, sort-of true coming-of-age story of a young Asian trans girl, pathological liar, and kung-fu expert who runs away from her parents’ abusive home. Striking off on her own, she finds her true family in a group of larger-than-life trans femmes.
Fucking Trans Women: A Zine About the Sex Lives of Trans Women by Mira Bellwether
Happier As a Woman: Transforming Friendships, Transforming Lives by Martina Giselle Ramirez and Alicia Partnoy. Happier as a Woman is not just a story of one woman’s transition. It is a story about relationships—those she fostered with herself, those that were hurt, those that were saved, and those that would not have existed if not for Martina’s desire to be a mentor, to be the change.
Take Me There edited by Tristan Taormino. Take Me There is an erotica collection unlike any other that celebrates the pleasure, heat, and diversity of transgender and genderqueer sexualities.
The Nearest Exit May Be Behind You by S. Bear Bergman. With humour and grace, Bear offers unique perspectives on issues that challenge, complicate, and confound the "official stories" about how gender and sexuality work.
The Queer and Transgender Resilience Workbook: Skills for Navigating Sexual Orientation and Gender Expression by Anneliese A. Singh. Tools for building the resilience you need to embrace your truest self in an imperfect world.
The Transgender Child: A Handbook for Families and Professionals by Stephanie A. Brill, Rachel Pepper. An introductory book for caregivers, the authors cover gender diversity from birth through college.
The Transgender Teen: A Handbook for Parents and Professionals Supporting Transgender and Non-Binary Teens by Stephanie A. Brill
Trans Teen Survival Guide by Owl Fisher, Fox Fisher. Frank, friendly, and funny, Trans Teen Survival Guide will leave transgender and non-binary teens informed, empowered and armed with all the tips, confidence and practical advice they need to navigate life as a trans teen.
Yes, You Are Trans Enough: My Transition from Self-Loathing to Self-Love by Mia Violet. This is the deeply personal and witty account of growing up as the kid who never fit in. Transgender blogger Mia Violet reflects on her life and how at 26 she came to finally realise she was 'trans enough' to be transgender, after years of knowing she was different but without the language to understand why.
You Only Live Twice: Letters on Death, Sex and Gender by Chase Joynt, Mike Hoolboom. Weaving cultural theory with memoir and media analysis, You Only Live Twice asks intimate questions about what it might mean to find love and hope through conversation across generations.

Podcasts

Podcasts are a fabulous vehicle for learning. The podcasts below can be affirming for trans and non-binary people. They are also helpful for cis-gendered people who wish to learn more about how to be an ally.

Masc Undone - Transgender men Tiq Milan and Aydian Dowling have honest, funny and vulnerable conversations about being trans, cultural expectations of manliness and reimagining masculinity into something entirely different.
One From the Vaults - a trans history podcast by Morgan M Page. Bringing you all the dirt, gossip, and glamour from trans history!
The Dildorks - Bex Caputo (he/him) and Kate Sloan (she/her) share dorky discourse on kink, sex, dating, and masturbating.
The Heart - An audio art project about intimacy and humanity.
They/Them - Moon Poet and Whooping Cough are genderqueer friends who spend most of their time talking about LGBTQIA+ perspectives and issues. Well, that and stories about sex, being artists, punks, and whatever life throws at them!
They&Us - What is ‘gender identity’? How is it different from ‘gender expression’? What about ‘non-binary’? Join host Faith Fundal as they explore these questions alongside people who find themselves navigating the world of pronouns, trans rights and the quest to be recognized for who they are.
Transmission - Transmission is breaking transgender stereotypes one episode at a time. Host Jackson Bird sits down with a fellow trans person each episode to talk about their experiences in our new age of heightened trans visibility.
TransPanTastic - A podcast about gender, identity, orientation, and the life that happens between them.

Resources for partners, caregivers, and families

Partners, caregivers, and families of trans and non-binary folks also need support in their questions and experiences. The following are helpful tools for those who want to better understand and support trans and non-binary folks in their lives without relying exclusively on those folks for information.

Love, Always: Partners of Trans People on Intimacy, Challenge, and Resilience edited by Jordon Johnson and Becky Garrison - In 50 self-searching, witty, and moving essays, letters, and poems, readers hear from those who often receive little airtime in popular culture: The partners & spouses of transgender people.
The Trans Partner Handbook: A Guide for Partners of Trans People by Jo Green - Through first-hand accounts and vignettes of successful partnerships, this book presents detailed descriptions of everything involved in the transition process, with specific guidance for those supporting a partner in transition.