The field of poetry is highly diverse and many popular poets are transgender. The best transgender poets come in many forms. Some famous transgender poets write lyrical prose while other talented trans poets are best known for their slam poetry performances. Many of the best known transgender poets advocate for LGBTQ causes.
Who will you find on this best transgender poets list? Dane Edidi became the first trans woman of color to publish a work of fiction that followed a trans woman protagonist. South African slam poet, Lee Mokobe, made a splash with his 2015 TED Talk during which he shared a poem about what it feels like to be transgender. Other famous transgender poets include Trace Peterson, Trish Salah, and Kay Ulanday Barrett.
Which trans poet's work do you like the best? Take a look at this list and find out.
Dane Edidi is a writer, poet, performing artist, singer and more. In 2013, she became the first trans woman of color to publish a work of fiction which followed a trans woman protagonist.
She has released several books of poetry including Baltimore: A Love Letter and Remains: A Gathering of Bones.
South African slam poet, Lee Mokobe, made a splash with his 2015 TED Talk during which he shared a poem about what it feels like to be transgender. "I was the mystery of an anatomy, a question asked but not answered," he said during the presentation.
J. Jennifer Espinoza gives insight into her experience coming out as a transgender woman in her debut poetry book i'm alive/it hurts/i love it in 2014.
Trans poet and performer Kay Ulanday Barrett's work has been featured in publications all over the world. Barrett has been the recipient of a number of awards including The Windy City Times PRIDE Poetry 1st Prize.
Trace Peterson is the author of several works including Since I Moved In. In 2015, she introduced the first ever college course on transgender poetry at Hunter College.
"Literature departments and studies of literature are very comfortable approaching transgender subject matter as theory, or as types of metaphor," Peterson said in an interview with PBS, "But there’s very little study of literature by transgender people."
She describes her own poem, "After Before and After," as a "love letter to trans women."
