A new magazine by and for Kentucky’s trans youth launched today.
Queer Kentucky, a nonprofit newsroom that amplifies LGBTQ-plus voices, announced that its new digital magazine, Death Before Detransition, is now available to download. The magazine, created entirely by trans youth in Kentucky, aims to give a voice to young trans writers and artists as Kentucky — and the nation — faces increasing anti-trans rhetoric and legislation.
“Protect. Trans. Youth. That’s what this issue is about,” Missy Spears, executive director of Queer Kentucky, said in a press release. “We are honored to hand over our platform so that Kentucky’s trans youth can tell their stories on their own terms.”
Co-Editor-in-Chief and longtime Queer Kentucky collaborator Mo Viviane is helping guide Death Before Detransition. They said readers can expect stories about navigating health care barriers and DIY transition routes; reflections on love, drag, disability justice and campus life; firsthand accounts of grief, resilience, creativity and joy; and conversations with leaders on building safe spaces for queer youth.
“These pieces are more than articles,” said Viviane. “They are testimony. They are resistant. They’re love letters to the people we’ve been, the people we’re becoming and the world we aim to live in.”
Queer Kentucky says that, in 2024, the United States saw 953 anti-trans bills introduced and more than 120 signed into law. Kentucky’s SB 150, which bans gender-affirming care for minors and prohibits schools from discussing gender identity, was among those passed. And, according to a recent Trevor Project study, in those states where such laws were enacted, there was an increase in suicide attempts among trans youth — as much as 72% in some places.
“Trans youth are in pain and need to be heard,” said Spears. “This issue is a platform for them to speak with clarity, courage and deep care.”
Death Before Detransition is available as a free digital download here. Learn more about Queer Kentucky at queerkentucky.com.
