On Valentine’s Day (and every day), we at TransLash celebrate #T4T love in all its forms.
What Is T4T Love?
T4T (Trans for Trans) aka TLT (Trans Loving Trans) is a term for transgender people who are either exclusively attracted to other TGNC (transgender & gender non-conforming) people, and/or prioritize relationships with other TGNC people.
Originating in Craigslist personals in the late 1990s-early 2000s to indicate a trans person seeking another trans person, the term “t4t” has come to describe not only circuits of desire and attraction but also practices of trans solidarity and mutual aid. While romantic and sexual interests and relationships between trans people are nothing new, today T4T terms have been popularized and mainstreamed within digital trans community spaces.
T4T love has always existed; Roberta Cowell and Michael Dillion had a publicly documented love affair in the 1950s.
T4T Love Stories
Original Plumbing, also known as OP is a quarterly magazine focused on “the culture and lifestyle of transgender men.” The magazine was started in September 2009 in the San Francisco Bay Area, by editors-in-chief Amos Mac and Rocco Kayiatos. Mac and Kayiatos created Original Plumbing to bring visibility to the trans man community. At the time of the magazine’s conception, trans men received little to no representation on TV, in mainstream film, or in other “LGBTQIA”-focused magazines. Original Plumbing is the first magazine for trans men made by trans men.
It features Cyd on the cover, photographed in his bedroom in San Francisco.
Original Plumbing‘s first issue, with the theme “Bedroom,” sold out before it was even published in 2009. The final issue of Original Plumbing was released ten years later in 2019, followed shortly after by the release of an anthologized “best of” book, published by Feminist Press.
This is a letter to you to let you know that I wish you a very happy and good VALENTINE’S DAY. I know that you’re sad and locked away in your apartments for going on three years now, but this Valentine’s Day you’ve got to believe in yourself and live your life, despite the Powers That Be.
Appreciate the love you have, whether it’s the love of your parents, a dog or a cat, a rabbit, whatever it is, be appreciative of the love that you get, and return that love. And always know that this light is on, and I love you. No matter what, we have got to stay together, because we’re all part of this transgender family.
Love, Mamaa Major (February 10, 2022)
T4T Flag
The first T4T flag was created by mod Kau at Tumblr blog Beyond-MOGAI-Pride-Flags in 2018, and was adjusted by polyamaesthetic in June 2020.
Another flag was created by Tumblr user guiltyidealist in 2021 that has the colors pink, blue, and yellow as the core colors to represent trans women, trans men, and nonbinary people, as well as diversity and inclusivity.
T4T is political because it aims to show how joyful trans lives can be apart from the society that has such a hard time understanding us.
Never forget, TransLash family: T4T love is valid & important on Valentine’s Day – and every day.
T4T Love Resources
- T4T: Trans Love: TransLash Podcast with Imara Jones (February 10, 2022)
- Wiki: Trans Loving Trans (t4t) – What is it? What does it mean? (last updated October 2021)
- The t4t Issue: Transgender Studies Quarterly (February 2022)
- 4 devoted and loving transgender couples who will make your heart melt:
- 4 devoted and loving transgender couples who will make your heart melt: ‘Trans love is a revolution’ (Yahoo! News, November 2020)
- How Queer Sex Liberated Me by Britni de la Cretaz (November 2020)
- T4T (Trans for Trans) is an online space for peer-to-peer support weekly on Wednesdays from 6:30p-8p. These groups are for trans Marylanders 18+.
- In 2019, Friday Olympia and Sasha co-led ‘t4t: loving beyond the binary‘ with Xaelah Jarrett at Gender Conference NYC.
- t4t and trans separatism: the politics of radical love by Rachel Anne Williams (2018)
- Relationship by Zackary Drucker (She/Her) (2016)
- The First Man-Made man: the story of two sex changes, one love affair, and a twentieth century medical revolution by Pagan Kennedy (New York, 2007)
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