BEFORE THE DAWN I am struggling badly today. This post explains why. open.substack.com/pub/anniarbo...

I am dealing with a deeply personal situation right now, so I may not be posting here for a while. Then again, I may just post the reasons for my current state of depression just to get it off my chest. Thanks for listening. Stay tuned.

SHOULD WE TALK ABOUT SEX? On our MI_Transgender_Friend subreddit, we are considering allowing discussion of sex-related subjects--pre-sex preparation, STDs, and treatment thereof, etc.--as long as it is done in a serious manner. What do you think? www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

"To My Daughter, My Gender Was Never Complicated" In yesterday's NEW YORK TIMES, there appeared a comic strip essay entitled, "To My Daughter, My Gender Was Never Complicated." It's sweet, endearing and a simplistic explanation of every day life as a trans man. www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

MY DAD Perhaps the worst part of being a transgender kid, aside from constant dysphoria, is the fear of your parents finding out. For me, it was the specific fear of coming out to my dad. It shaped my life. www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

Grand Rapids PRIDE Festival Starts Today The 38th annual Grand Rapids PRIDE Festival starts today, noon at Calder Plaza. As with many such celebrations, this one promises food, entertainment, and a variety of vendors. www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

RARE WIN FOR TRANS INMATES Yesterday, a federal court judge in Washington D.C. issued a preliminary injunction prevent the Bureau of Prisons from denying trans inmates HRT and other gender-affirming care. Hopefully his decision will stand. www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

ANNI OR HARLEY? I got nothing for you today, so I took a selfie. I kinda have a demented Harley Quinn thing going here, don't you agree?

"BUT AM I TRANS ENOUGH" Available for FREE download today and on over 600 newsstands throughout Michigan by tomorrow, is the latest issue of BETWEEN THE LINES. This issue contains my newest "Trans Lucent" column and it's entitled "But Am I Trans Enough?" www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

WE ARE NOW 1,600! How appropriate! Just a few days shy of our second birthday, MI_Transgender_Friend subreddit now has 1,600 members! And even better--it occurred during PRIDE month! www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

Emme Zanotti In PRIDE SOURCE MAGAZINE The once-yearly issue of PRIDE SOURCE MAGAZINE is now available for download. I'm proud to say that this issue features my profile of Emme Zanotti, one of the nation's leading advocates for trans rights. Details at this link: www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

MCBRIDE DUNKS ON MACE & GAINES On Tuesday, former Republican congresswoman Nancy Mace placed fifth in her party's South Carolina primary race for governor. Rep. Sarah McBride, the first trans person in Congress, gave a delicious response to Mace's just desserts. www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

List of PRIDE Events & Other Stuff After resolving some PC issues that kept me offline for a bit, I'm back and posting about local Michigan PRIDE events and other things related to the trans community. www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

GAINING PRIDE: PHYLLIS RANDOLPH FRYE She lost everything when she came out as trans in 1972. But a decade later she became one of the nation's leading voices for trans legal rights. And in 2010, she was appointed the first openly transgender judge in the U.S. www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

PRIDE And Prejudice Every queer has their story. This is mine. www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

PRIDE Can Be Goth, Too!

Sylvia Rivera: 1973 Gay Rally Speech Back in the day, trans people were often excluded from from participating in the gay liberation movement. On June 24, 1973, Sylvia Rivera challenged that bias and took to the stage to address a crowd of gay rights marchers. www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

THE DARK SHADOW HANGING OVER A SUNNY SPRING DAY I had a lovely day yesterday, walking arm-in-arm with my transgender date along a street in Ypsi. Yet, it occurred to me that not all trans people in America are so lucky to have the freedom to do the very same thing. www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

PRIDE Events In Michigan This Weekend! PRIDE season is opening with a bang this weekend in the Detroit metro area! One of the largest PRIDE fests in the state, Ferndale Pride, is being held on Saturday. Across town, a trans-friendly BBQ is being held in Ypsilanti. www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

HAPPY(?) MEMORIAL DAY Today is a day set aside to remember those who died in military service to the United States. But trans servicemembers died and did so while serving in silence. Who remembers them? www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

THE FABULOUS JACKIE SHANE I recently learned of Jackie Shane, a Black trans woman who moved to Canada to pursue her musical career back in the late 1950s. Shane's version of "Any Other Way" has since become a brave queer classic and her story a great inspiration. www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

The UK Adopts Anti-Trans Restroom Rules In 2016, the government of Great Britain chastised the United States for the rise of laws banning the use of restrooms by trans people. Now, Great Britain has approved anti-trans restroom rules throughout their country. www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

WE ARE NOW 1,500! 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍⚧️ It is with great pride and glee that I announce that the MI_Transgender_Friend subreddit has hit 1,500 members as of today! If you haven't yet joined our happy little corner of social media, you should! www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

DON'T CALL ME TRANS Why do we continue to call ourselves “transgender?” The prefix “trans” connotes a change from one form to another. By putting the prefix of “trans” before my gender, a transformation is implied. And in truth, none has. www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

I got nothing for you this morning, so instead, here is a photo of Your Friendly Neighborhood Trans Goth Lesbian in broad daylight.

FORGET-US-NOT There is no "official" flower representing the trans community. Roses have been adopted by some, but my personal favorite is the Forget-Me-Not flower, which comes in blooms of pink, white, and blue. Any thoughts on this? www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

THE 2026 ANTI-TRANS LEGISLATION MAP The Trans Legislation Tracker keeps an eye on transphobic laws that are being considered in the United States. To that end, they also provide a helpful map that lets you see in which states these bills are being debated. www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

ATTN: Any NYC trans organizations! I may need local help with creating a GoFundMe fundraiser for Ava Cordero, the trans woman raped by Jeffrey Epstein who now lives in a homeless shelter in your city. If you are from such an org, please contact me at: [email protected] Thank you!

JOANNA WHALEY IS ON THE BALLOT! Joanna Whaley (D), a trans candidate for Michigan's a House seat, was challenged by a fellow Dem who tried to have her removed from the ballot because she didn't use her deadname. Thankfully, the county clerk ruled in Whaley's favor. www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

HELP RUBY FIND A SAFE HOME! I've become aware of a young, homeless trans woman who is need of finding a new, safe home. Her family has turned their backs on her and she is desperate. Please read her story and help fund her new home. www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

IN MEMORY OF JUNIPER BLESSING Juniper Blessing was a trans woman studying voice. This past Sunday, their life ended in a lonely laundry room at the hands of a murderer. She should be remembered for talents and kindness. But her death should be a reminder to us, too. www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

I saw a Frumious Bandersnatch today. I shunned it.

Pick Up A Copy Of BETWEEN THE LINES Pride Source Media is Michigan's largest LGBTQ+ news outlet and the publisher of the BETWEEN THE LINES newspaper. Read how you can download FREE copies of this legendary publication or where you can pick up a copy. www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

THE TEEN TRANS ATHLETE WITH MAD ATTITUDE A. B. Hernandez has drawn a lot of fire since she began competing in girl's sports. Even Trump called her out in a deranged post. Yet, she maintains a positive attitude through it all, thanks to the support of her mother. www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

Anni, Gothic Queen Of The Underworld

WHERE ARE THE TEARS FOR AVA CORDERO? You may have heard about the young trans woman who was raped by Jeffrey Epstein and then sued him. But you don't know what happened to her afterward. I do and her story appears in my latest column for Pride Source. pridesource.com/article/ava-...

UPDATE ON JOANNA WHALEY A trans candidate for state office in Michigan had a complaint registered against her by another Democrat who wanted her removed from the ballot because she didn't use her deadname on it. Happily, she has gotten SOME support from other Dems. www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

THE VOICE For most trans people--particularly trans women--one of the most difficult aspects of their transition journey is attaining a voice that suits you. Fortunately, there are several surgical procedures that can help and of course, vocal training techniques: www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

THE ENEMY WITHIN Michigan has four transgender candidates running for state office this year. However, one of them is facing removal from the ballot over a complaint from one of her Democratic party opponents that she didn't list her deadname on the ballot. www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

Taking PRIDE in 2026 Ah, Pride season is almost upon us! The gayest time of year when rainbows are in full bloom and the straights cringe in horror! If you're in Michigan and want to know what PRIDE festivals are upcoming, follow this link: www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

Anni In A Cami

LET'S MEET AT VERTEX FOR COFFEE! Every Saturday, Vertex Coffee Roasters in Ypsilanti, MI has an open meetup of trans and non-binary people. It starts at 10:00 a.m., and I hope you can make it. I'd love to meet you, share a cup a caffeine, and chat! www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

TRANS PEOPLE IN HOLLYWOOD Like it or not, the representation of trans people most cis Americans have seen comes out of Hollywood. Happily, there are several upcoming projects featuring trans actors coming out this year. www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

DETROIT WOMEN OF COMEDY FESTIVAL It's said that laughter is the best medicine and we all could use a good laugh right about now. That's why you may want to check out the Detroit Women of Comedy Festival featuring trans and other queer women being held in May. www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

BUT AM I TRANS ENOUGH? At times you've probably suffered from trans-doubt. The nagging feeling that makes you wonder if you are trans enough. I've felt that too. www.reddit.com/r/MI_transge...

Wanna see a selfie of a mature transgender goth girl? Sure you do.

SPRING TRANS JOB FAIR This news goes out to all my Michigan trans sibs looking for a job. Transgender Michigan is holding one of its biannual job fair on April 30 at Affirmations in Ferndale. It will run from 1:00-4:00 p.m. www.transgendermichigan.org/trans-job-fair

A SOCIETY WITHOUT CONSEQUENCE If you are rich and powerful enough, you can get away with anything. Even rape and sexual abuse. anniarbour.substack.com/p/a-society-...

The key to happiness is aligning who we are with who we think we are.