Celebrating trans voices around the world with Cally Spence

Trans_Maps, created and run by London College of Communication BA Sound Arts graduate Cally Spence (she/her), is a project celebrating trans voices globally.

Taking the form of an interactive pink map, each pink and blue flag that you see highlights a story from a trans person. Explore the map to hear the stories of people like Lucius (he/him), who started transitioning in Bristol, saying that before, “people would call me a lesbian, I knew I wasn't a lesbian.” Danica (she/they) in Venice tells us about her “three egg cracks, my fellow trans people will know what an egg crack is”. Kit (they/them) in Ohio shares that “I found out that I was queer through a group of friends. I hadn't known any gay person before that, and it slowly devolved into me being just the ultimate queer person.”

Having contributors tell their stories in their own words was important to her and this element sets Trans_Maps apart from Queering The Map - a text-based map platforming the stories of queer people worldwide. “The main thing I wanted to get across was voice,” Cally says. “It’s a community from whom voices aren't heard as often. It brings a bit more character to them than just text.”

“I love listening to stories, especially within my own community and trans stories.”

“I think it’s because we have a lot to say, really. It's often not heard, it's not expressed. But people aren't comfortable in sharing their voices. I want to change that and to get not just physical voices out there, but what they want to say as well.”

While the map currently has multiple flags scattered across, Cally wants there to be one in every country and is keen to hear from people all over the world.

”The impact I want from this is to have voices from all over the world from every country and have people come to the website and listen to these stories and go ‘I’m not alone’. It's important to make sure people aren't alone and have something for them, especially in countries where it's not as accepted [to be trans] - not that it’s good in the UK.”

Cally started Trans_Maps in her final year at LCC, presenting it as part of her final show and on the UAL Graduate Showcase, but it’s not a completed piece of work – and it won’t ever be. The aim of the map is for it to keep evolving, bringing more voices from across the globe together in one place.

Visit trans_maps.com for information on how to contribute. If you would like to contribute without your name attached to it, you can also submit anonymously