Travis Alabanza

Travis Alabanza is an English performance artist, poet, writer, and LGBTQ rights activist.

Career

Alabanza first became published for poetry in Black and Gay in the UK Anthology in 2015. Later that year Alabanza went on tour for their theatre show Stories of a Queer Brown Muddy Kid, performing at clubs, bookstores, and performance venues across the United Kingdom and abroad. They have been featured as a guest lecturer and panelist at over forty universities in the United Kingdom during LGBTQ and Black History month to discuss issues related to race, sexual orientation, and gender. Their work has been featured in Duckie, Bar Wotever, And What! Festival, Hamburg International Feminist Festival, Late at Tate, the V&A, and Transmission Gallery.[1][2]

In 2016 Alabanza starred in the five star roundhouse production of Putting Words in Your Mouth by Scottee and became one of the 2016-2017 Artists in Residence at the Tate Britain. In 2017, they began working on a solo exhibition, The Other'd Artist for Transmission Gallery in Glasgow.[1] Alabanza released their first chapbook titled Before I Step Outside. (You Love Me); a compilation of visual art, poetry, diary entries, and essays.[3][4] They also performed the leading role in the stage adaptation of Derek Jarman's punk film Jubilee.[5]

Alabanza has critiqued mainstream feminism for having been rooted in transphobia and mainstream feminists for often neglecting trans and gender non-conforming people in their discussions of progress.[6]

Personal life

Alabanza was born in Bristol and grew up on a council estate.[7]

Alabanza identifies as black, trans feminine, gender non-conforming, and uses the pronouns "they/them".[8][9] Alabanza speaks out for trans rights and the importance of safe spaces and communities for gender non-conforming and transgender people.[10]

In November 2017, Alabanza was denied access to a female dressing room while shopping at Topshop in Manchester, the fashion retailer owned by Sir Philip Green. Alabanza was told to use the men's dressing.[11] They left the store and filed a complaint through social media.[12] Alabanza accused Topshop of going against their policy to allow trans individuals to use the dressing rooms associated with their preferred gender.[13][14] Alabanza received backlash via social media for the controversy.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 "About - TRAVIS ALABANZA". travisalabanza.co.uk.
  2. ↑ "Travis Alabanza". TEDxBrum.
  3. ↑ "Travis Alabanza's Debut Chapbook Reflects on Trans Femme Life in London". 20 July 2017.
  4. ↑ Alabanza, Travis. "'Before I Step Outside [You Love Me]' - chapbook". Travis Alabanza.
  5. 1 2 Dazed (11 November 2017). "Artist smeared by media after Topshop transphobia".
  6. ↑ https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DjvZ6TIXgAECw3u.jpg:large
  7. ↑ "Interivew: Travis Alabanza". 14 June 2016.
  8. ↑ "Topshop Refused To Let A Trans Person Into An All-Gender Changing Room".
  9. ↑ "Interview: Travis Alabanza on their chapbook, Before I Step Outside (You Love Me)". 2 August 2017.
  10. ↑ Jones, Dylan (4 October 2017). "Travis Alabanza: The critically-acclaimed artist and performer talks harassment, visibility and perceptions of gender".
  11. ↑ Elizabeth, Devon. "Topshop's Gender-Neutral Changing Rooms Are a Step in the Right Direction".
  12. ↑ Harley, Nicola (8 November 2017). "Topshop announces gender-neutral changing rooms after trans customer was refused access to female cubicles" – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  13. ↑ "Topshop says customers can use any fitting room they like — but a trans person claims employees refused to let them".
  14. ↑ "Topshop and Topman make all changing rooms gender-neutral".
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