DEVIN NORELLE.

Model and trans advocate.

Jamie Windust: You’ve spoken about TERFS on your socials last year and their ridiculous views – how do you think trans/GNC people like us should combat that level of non-inclusive feminism? Devin-Norelle: We should continue producing literature and creating spaces where we put into practice that which we preach. Intersectionality is a difficult concept for so many others to grasp; when holding space, others can learn by observing. I also believe many people are unknowingly TERFs. A couple years ago, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie expressed her belief that trans women and women were not one in the same. When it was brought to her attention that this opinion was transphobic and that she was wrong, she denied that it could have been transphobic and, instead, doubled down on her belief. It’s disheartening to witness one of your idols, a champion of feminism, invalidate trans women. Consequently, I began to ponder if someone so informed, like Adichie, lacked exposure to trans people. Calling out ignorance can be effective, but perhaps we should also consider producing more narratives that could truly paint the richness of the trans community. Adichie’s grouping together of all trans women and their experiences really speaks volumes about what specific trans narratives are disseminated and praised by mainstream media. Trans women are not a monolith. If stories about trans women who were raised as women circulated as widely as stories about women who transitioned in adulthood, perhaps Adichie, and people who shared her beliefs, would recognise that trans women are women.

JW: What advice would you give to someone who wants to tell the people in their immediate circle that they want to use pronouns such as ze/zim?

D: Explaining to family and friends that you use gender neutral pronouns can be rather daunting. I remember when I approached my friends about wanting them to use ze/zim, they were a bit confused at first. Many were not aware of gender neutral pronouns. I came prepared. I printed out a list of all known pronouns and presented it to them. I described a short of history of gender neutral identities, explaining how the binary was introduced to our ancestors via imperialism. We discussed what it was like for me to medically transition as a means of moving away from something and not necessarily towards anything else. I expressed how I felt my pronouns should reflect this action of moving away. The print out really helped; having a visual and reading about all the other pronouns really piqued their curiosity while also encouraging further discussions. To the newbie, I would su¦est coming prepared by having materials for people to read, explaining to them why those pronouns complement you, and moreover, emphasising that using the correct pronouns is a validating experience.