Ideas worth spreading

A short history of trans people's long fight for equality

2,094,248 views |

Samy Nour Younes |

TED Residency

• December 2018

Transgender activist and TED Resident Samy Nour Younes shares the remarkable, centuries-old history of the trans community, filled with courageous stories, inspiring triumphs -- and a fight for civil rights that's been raging for a long time. "Imagine how the conversation would shift if we acknowledge just how long trans people have been demanding equality," he says.

Transgender activist and TED Resident Samy Nour Younes shares the remarkable, centuries-old history of the trans community, filled with courageous stories, inspiring triumphs -- and a fight for civil rights that's been raging for a long time. "Imagine how the conversation would shift if we acknowledge just how long trans people have been demanding equality," he says.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Visit the National Center for Transgender Equality, which has been increasing understanding of the transgender community since 2003.

Learn more about the Gender & Family Project, which provides resources and community for gender non-conforming children and their families.

About the speaker

Samy Nour Younes

Samy Nour Younes

Actor, activist

See speaker profile

Samy Nour Younes is a trans actor and activist who highlights the diversity of the trans experience -- not just in their struggles, but also in their triumphs.

Susan Stryker | Seal Press, 2017 | Book

Transgender History, second edition: The Roots of Today's Revolution

Sexual Minorities Educational Foundation Inc. | Explore

"Sexual Minorities Archives"

The Sexual Minorities Archives is one of the oldest and largest collections of LGBTQIA+ historical documents, media and artifacts in the world. You can visit it in Holyoke, MA.

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The GLBT Historical Society

An internationally recognized leader in the field of LGBTQ public history. You can visit it in San Francisco.

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"Digital Transgender Archive"

Browse the Digital Transgender Archive, an online hub for digitized historical materials, born-digital materials, and information on archival holdings throughout the world.

Duke University Press | Article

Transgender Studies Quarterly

Subscribe to Transgender Studies Quarterly, which has been a resource for education and scholarship on the transgender community since 2014.

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Familia: Trans Queer Liberation Movement

Support Familia: Trans Queer Liberation Movement, the only national organization that advocates for the issues most important to our LGBTQ and Latino communities.

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The Okra Project

Donate to The Okra Project, which brings healthy, home-cooked meals to black transgender people — one of the most vulnerable groups in the trans community.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Visit the National Center for Transgender Equality, which has been increasing understanding of the transgender community since 2003.

Learn more about the Gender & Family Project, which provides resources and community for gender non-conforming children and their families.