ALT A cover image for the blog. It reads, “By the People, For the People: Trans Poetics and DIY Culture. Part One: ‘Jagged Edges and Rough Words’, Rae White”. In the background is a photograph of Rae White’s collection of queer- and trans-authored zines.
ALT An excerpt from Rae White’s blog post. It reads, “I’m at one of my fave poetry open mics, Echoes from the Cave Inn, waiting for my name to be called. The crowded room is full of fellow queer, trans, and gender diverse people eating freshly made pizza, sipping beers, and hugging mates they haven’t seen since last month’s open mic. I get up on stage wearing my jorts, and bright pink and orange tie-dye shirt that says 'homosexual tendencies.' I read a poem from the zine in my hand, freshly photocopied earlier that morning. The stage lights are bright, and I squint to read the collaged text on the page. After my reading, I roam through the crowd handing out copies of the zine to friends, loved ones, and strangers. Some people tuck them carefully into tote bags. One person immediately opens theirs and says, 'I should make a zine!' This is one of my favourite things in the world: a poem existing simultaneously in the air around me and in someone’s hands.”