Whilst trans rights and visibility is growing, it’s clear there is still hostility and a lack of acceptance towards the trans community from certain parts of society. In the face of such adversity, Ugla and Fox have found that it’s by living each day with radical openness and vulnerability that has allowed them to thrive.
Being fully yourself, they tell us, has given them more confidence, whilst also radically changing other’s perceptions about trans people. They believe such ‘radical vulnerability’ is a powerful tool in shifting abstract conversations from seeing trans people as topics or debates to be had into seeing trans people as people. And that radical vulnerability works both ways – being authentically you gives others permission to do the same. Seeing each other as people, Fox and Ugla argue, is when we can really start focusing on what brings trans and cis people together rather what drives us apart. Ugla Stefanía Kristjönudóttir Jónsdóttir (Owl) is an author, feminist, campaigner. Fox Fisher is an award winning artist, author, filmmaker and trans consultant for on screen. Together they co-wrote the bestselling books, The Trans Teen Survival Guide and Trans Survival Workbook and are co-directors of My Genderation. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
