Support for TReasured

Gerry Potter/Chloe Poems Before ‘family friendly’ was ever a thing there was a countercultural ‘underground’. A bit of a secret, basement club hidden, slightly dangerous, but more than anything, insanely creative. I firmly believe Queer can be many things, can be ‘family friendly’, but from what's happening at the moment on the ‘overground’, seems to me, some families are being somewhat ‘unfriendly’ to Queer thought. ‘TReasured’ as a concept reminds me of the exceptional best of an anarcho-fuelled counter culture, the place I’m still most comfortable in. For a Queer series of notions to thrive, thought must be set free, yes have your safe words, but thought/action has to also be without walls, be boundary-less, spikily cultured and intellectually adventurous. We are art, words, bodies, minds, thought and deed, sometimes that simply/complexly can’t be ‘family friendly’. I met my first trans man in the Liverpool of 1979, things were different then, I’ve never stopped meeting trans, non-binary peoples since, my life so much fuller, my art radically informed, transformed because of those experiences. In 1979, I wish I could have shown my first trans male friend TReasured, so he could have then seen what a Queer counter culture could not only one day achieve, but also, how it can be collectively and so picturesquely/poetically curated. I think it safe/unsafe to say, TReasured is an interesting resource like no other. Felix Mufti performer, writer, activist ‘This site is crucial, needed and vital. Trans history is an everflowing river that has been countlessly obstructed; This site serves as a reminder that nothing will ever stop its stream.’ ‘In a world of misinformation and clickbait, the true history and accuracy of this site puts hate to one side. It holds space for the ultimate truth of transness- love and power.’ ‘For Trans people, it often feels much of our life has been turned into a debate. TReasured provides an opportunity for us to breathe and see ourselves archived accurately.’ ‘TReasured does just that- treasures the Trans experience in all it’s beauty and dimension.’ Jo Clifford – author, writer of “The Gospel According To Jesus Queen Of Heaven” "TReasured is like a huge and well loved virtual attic full of treasures from our last lives. It's lovingly created and full of astonishing discoveries. Such a gorgeous place to pop into on a rainy afternoon. And a sunny one too....." Lori Isley Lynn, MRCSLT, HCPC Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist The Treasured website is an outpouring of thoughts, reflections and ideas on what it means to be transgender that are shared through poetry, film and image. This collection of art provides powerful insight into the lives of people who experience gender differently from the very limiting binary of male and female. Created and curated by Mandy, their installations explore sexuality, too, and invite visitors to the site to consider how sexuality and gender intersect within individuals and within society. They invite us to open our minds and our hearts. To share. To learn. To understand. To embrace.