Zine provides platform for trans creators

St. Boniface

St. Vital

Jordan Anglin saw C.R.A.Z.Y., the 2005 film directed by Jean-Marc Vallée, for the first time when it was presented in her Grade 9 French immersion film class. Although, at the time, she had always known she was queer, she assures that the film — and its story, following a young man as he navigates internalized homophobia and family turmoil caused by his sexuality — changed her life. It was shown to the class near the end of that school year, and she came out as transgender less than a year later.

Now, at 21, Anglin is hoping to create a similar effect for more local trans youth through Of The Moths, a collaborative zine project containing art and poetry from 11 artists — from Winnipeg, Manitoba and Ontario — depicting the personal highs-and-lows of the trans experience.

“It’s the result of many things,” she said, adding that, due to the zine being inspired by her own life and identity, it’s something only she could have orchestrated. “Because of my public speaking and being very open about being trans, I’ve had many people come up to me and go, ‘I didn’t know anyone else experienced that — thank you so much. I thought I was just weird!’ … I really needed to do something beyond my own experiences, to let people know they’re not alone.”

The zine is inspired by Anglin’s academic focus of history, which introduced her to the work of several Irish poets, active during the 19th century, which was often a crucial part of local newspapers.

“There was a spark in my mind to do something similar in my community. It (poetry) reaches peoples’ emotions more than anything else can,” she said.

The St. Vital resident recognized that she is more privileged than others in her community, which is often the target of gender-based hate and violence, and able to speak out. She earned a spot on the Prime Minister’s Youth Council in 2024 — an opportunity that sent her to the Young World Summit in Montreal for three days last October.

During the experience, she began to share the idea of creating a project of this nature with other participants — back when it was just a hypothetical, she said.

“If all of these people were able to accomplish these outlandish ideas, I can do mine, too,” she said. “People agreed with me … it helped convince me to do it.”

Once the call for submissions went public, Anglin received far more than she could even fit in the final edition. She said that she’s very appreciative of the work she received and the willingness to share personal stories.

Although a platform such as this isn’t always accessible for 2SLGBTQ+ people, there is a strong and vibrant community which exists in Winnipeg, strong enough that Travel Manitoba has even gone as far to promote Winnipeg’s queer-friendly attitude and subsequent events on its website.

“Most people seem confused when I say this, but I feel really lucky to have grown up in Winnipeg, and to still live here,” Anglin said. “It’s generally a very accepting city … and having such a vibrant arts scene is phenomenal for a city this size.”

Mikey and Luca Templin, who both identify as trans, created a collaborative piece for the zine called Resiliance, which consists of an art piece by Luca and a poem written by Mikey prior to submission. 

“When it came to Resiliance, Mikey’s poetry came first,” Luca, who uses they/he pronouns, said. “They had all this poetry they had written, and I thought it was really beautiful.”

Two of Mikey’s poems are included in the zine, including one they had created with the torn-up pieces of a coming out letter they had written for their grandmother, prior to moving to Manitoba from their birthplace in Georgia, U.S. 

Like the name of the zine itself, the poem is moth inspired — the polyphemus moth, specifically, native to their home state and a signifier of transformation and rebirth.

“I wanted to put everything out there; a letter from my soul,” Mikey, who is genderfluid and uses any pronouns, said, adding that things have changed a lot since the original letter was written, for themselves and for trans people living all over North America. 

“It feels almost easier to open up on a clean slate to strangers than to (try and) fit in based on how people already thought of you,” they said. “I feel like I’d like to share my soul and show others it’s okay to be emotional … and the beauty that comes with it.”

For Luca, the challenge was creating an art piece that was emotional and close to home, something they haven’t had a lot of experience with in the past, they said.

“I usually draw what makes me feel good and what’s fun,” they said.

“Mikey’s poetry was a great way to do (start) … I’ve already begun a couple of other pieces that I’ve also based on their poetry. I’m excited about this new (era).”

The pair has plans to continue collaborating in the future.

“We’re literally making our own family and our own world out of art,” Mikey said. “We balance each other out so well.”

The University of Manitoba student dropped the first batch of copies off at Thyme Cafe and Books (268 Tache Ave.) on Oct. 1. At press time, Thyme is the only local book store that carries it.

Anglin is also working to make this the inaugural first-edition of a series: “This (the interest) hopefully shows that this is something people are interested in and happy to have now … I’m really encouraging people to get out there and support small and independent publications.”