Tech

The world’s largest transgender history digital archive just launched — take a look inside

Leanna Garfield

2016-03-17T13:33:50Z

alison laing photo album undated_017 — A photo of Alison Laing from the Digital Transgender Archive and the University of Michigan, date unknown. The University of Michigan/Digital Transgender Archive

For decades, the world's most exhaustive record of transgender history sat in boxes in university and nonprofit libraries across the US and Canada.

Now, tens of thousands of these rare books, photos, and illustrations will be digitized and available to anyone with Internet access. More than 20 nonprofits and institutions, including the University of Victoria, Harvard, the College of the Holy Cross, and the University of Michigan, are collaborating to create the world's largest transgender history digital archive. The College of the Holy Cross is leading the project, called the Digital Transgender Archive.

"We are making a hub for people to find archival material about transgender history, and hopefully improve the lives of trans people," Aaron Devor, the University of Victoria's chair of transgender studies, tells Tech Insider.

In January, Devor became the world's first chair of transgender studies after transgender billionaire Jennifer Pritzker donated $2 million to the University of Victoria to create the position.

Take a look inside what the Digital Transgender Archive's team at the College of the Holy Cross have digitized so far.

Created in 2007, the University of Victoria's archives chronicle the past 50 years and detail the lives of trans and gender nonconforming people from 17 countries across five continents — and it's just one collection being digitized by the Digital Transgender Archive team.

Alison and Dottie Laing on a ferry, date unknown, from the University of Michigan. The University of Michigan/Digital Transgender Archive

It features photos, letters, and books that relate to the activism and daily lives of transgender people. Many of the materials are one-of-a-kind.

Ariadne Kane, date unknown, from the University of Michigan. The University of Michigan/Digital Transgender Archive

"I realized through conversations with other people that these materials were often hard to find or invisible," the Digital Transgender Archive's founder K.J. Rawson tells Tech Insider. "It was a widespread problem."

The table of contents to the 1966 issue of Turnabout magazine. The Digital Transgender Archive

Here is a 1992 brochure for the Fantasia Fair, the longest-running conference for transgender people. The back describes the events planned for the weekend, including "fan-fair follies, the scintillating fashion show, and the wonderful 'dress up' evening parties."

An item from the University of Victoria's collection. The Digital Transgender Archive

Devor says he doesn't know exactly how many items are in the University of Victoria's print archives, but can describe it in linear feet. If you were to put all of the books and papers in bankers' boxes and line them up, they would span a football field.

A "Fantasia Fair Participants' Guide" from 1990, an item from the University of Victoria. The Digital Transgender Archive

The process of collecting and digitizing the materials is a long and painstaking process, says Rawson. To scan and catalog photos like the photobooth image below, his team needs to go through hundreds of file folders.

Alison Laing, date unknown, from the University of Michigan. The University of Michigan/Digital Transgender Archive

Since their inception, the 20 nonprofits' and universities' print archives were available to the public in reading rooms. But now everything is being uploaded online, including items like this 43-page "guide to cross-dressing" from 2000.

Anyone who is interested in learning or writing about transgender history can now access the archives, Devor says.

The May 1986 cover of Fanfare magazine from the nonprofit, Gender DynamiX. The Digital Transgender Archive

It's important that his department and the archives exist in a formal academic setting, because it helps legitimize trans experiences, Devor says. "Universities mainly exist for two reasons: to do research and to educate the next generation," he says.

Dottie and Alison Laing, date unknown, from the University of Michigan. The Digital Transgender Archive

Devor and Rawson hope the Digital Transgender Archive will provide a more nuanced look at trans history, and believes the research has the power to enact policy changes that help transgender people.

An unidentified model photographed by Mariette Pathy Allen, from the University of Michigan. The Digital Transgender Archive

"I feel honored to make this research happen that will hopefully get into the hands of lawmakers," Devor says. "It has the power to affect public opinion and people's hearts, and make a real difference in trans people's lives."

The 7th annual "Working Together Convention" program book from 1993, from the University of Victoria. The Digital Transgender Archive

The digitization by the College of Holy Cross will be a constant process. "The Archive is growing all of the time," Devor says.

Alison Laing in a park, date unknown, from the University of Michigan. The Digital Transgender Archive

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