Alright, internet. Say hello to your newest creative contributor! Ok, so that title lasted for about .0032 seconds. Anyway, hi! I would like to introduce my graphic novel/comic book entitled What’s Normal Anyway? It’s about being trans male!
I wanted to start this comic for a few reasons. First, the internet, lush with trans resources and stories, was a tremendous help when I was trying to figure myself out. Frankly, the most helpful was just listening to trans guys on YouTube talk about their lives. Their relatable stories and humanizing problems made me realize all the more quickly that we are all just people, and that gender is nothing to be afraid of. I figured I could add something worthwhile to the online trans community that has already helped me so much.
Secondly, it’s a fun creative outlet for me. Anyone going through a gender and/or sex transition could use a medium through which to express oneself along the way. Even though this book is no autobiography, it allows me to think about and share issues that trans masculine folk may encounter.
Thirdly, activism! Right now my most pertinent cause is trans visibility. I understand that plenty of trans people may not want to incorporate their trans experience into their everyday lives, which is fine. I’m not saying everyone needs to do so. I do wish that knowledge about trans lives was more commonplace, though. My goal is to expand trans media, thereby increasing visibility, one silly comic at a time.
I do not purport to be an expert on anything I talk about. I merely want to share thoughts, ideas, and certain information that has helped me so far throughout my social and physical transition from female to male. With that said, please enjoy What’s Normal Anyway?
Wonderful product. It’s about time something like this was spawned from the transguy YouTube community. I hope your ideas keep flowing.
since you ‘do not purport to be an expert on anything [you] talk about,” might a better subtitle be “a webcomic about being *a* trans male?”
i am loving this as a personal story, but when that subtitle gives it undertones of being a universal experience, it kind of makes me less excited about it.
Well, the comic is personal in many respects, but it also aims to portray shared experiences among folks in the trans male community. Mel is just one representation of a guy, and he isn’t always perfect or right, but I’m hoping that people will relate to some of the thoughts, insecurities, and experiences he goes through. I want to introduce other ideas and characters later on that show more diversity, but that’s gonna take more time and ink. Try to enjoy Mel’s endearing naivité in the meantime :)
Haha, too true with ‘Cobra Explosion!’ I remember back when I bought men’s toiletries, and was constantly seeing/teasing names like ‘Ocean Blast’ – apparently, for the armpit SO STINKY, it takes a whole ocean to clean!
I feel that this first comic is very problematic and perpetuates gender stereotypes, which is a problem with a lot of trans men who seem to think that being very stereotypically masculine is what makes them male (and vice versa). This is just sexism seeping into the community, and seeping into to the identity of trans individuals. I’d be very careful with that, especially as this is intended as a source of education. A trans man can wear a dress and be just as male.
I hope you see where I am coming from with this, and I hope my wording isn’t problematic. I do very much like what you’re doing with this as a whole, but this is something that concerns me as a person who identifies outside the gender binary.
I appreciate your comment and concern, but my personal experience with trans men has not been that they will take on whatever masculine stereotypes they can to feel like “real men.” Rather, they behave and present in a way that is congruent with how they identify, which is unfortunately often interpreted by folks outside of the transsexual male experience as fake or stereotypical. Even though Mel likes some traditionally “male” things, he’s not exactly the paragon of rugged masculinity either. As a queer activist I’m all for variant gender identity expression, but there are still differences among groups of people that can be shared and discussed. Also, as a work of comedy, this comic explicitly pokes fun at gender roles and masculinity, so I hope that part isn’t lost on you :)
Haha, I really liked the all in one product, ‘soap/shampoo/conditioner/toothpaste’. These comics are genius. I check in every day for new ones!
Thanks for enjoying them! :D
Updates are actually every Monday.
Awesome comic! Loved it…