Trans Affirmation Coloring Book
Theo Nicole Lorenz
Self-Published
November 2018
It’s been a long time since I made time for coloring books. The resurgence of them in popularity for adults never really caught me; some of it’s my attention span, some of it’s just having other things to do, and frankly too many of those.
I wanted to at least give some attention to one, though; the Trans Affirmation Coloring Book, by Theo Nicole Lorenz, is exactly what is advertised on the cover; a coloring book full of affirmative images and quotes for trans people. The book contains ten images featuring trans characters that are intersectional in nature; a variety of gender presentations and ages, some fat, some thin, some with disabilities, some not. Each image is paired with an affirmative statement, such as “I am the only one who gets to define me,” or “I deserve to feel happy, safe, and loved.”
The truth is, coloring books do not do a lot for me, and neither do affirmative mantras. It’s not a problem with either of those things; it’s just not the way I’m wired to work. I appreciate seeing these images though, and the representation in them; where else would I see them otherwise, after all? Make no mistake, those images are important, just because they’re not as necessary for me, that doesn’t mean they aren’t for others. While they may not move me greatly, I’m glad for them, because I know that my fellow trans folk need all the support they can get from wherever they can get it.
There is one thing, though, that I was very taken with; the final page of the book isn’t an image, but sort of a worksheet. On it are two sections; the first has five lines to fill out with reminders of things you can do to make yourself feel better, and the second is three lines for loved ones you can call if you need help. The page also contains numbers for the Trans Lifeline and the Trevor Project, if you need them.
I suppose I found this page most appealing because it invited a more direct form of interaction; rote affirmations don’t work for me, but a list of things that is tailored by me, specifically for me, that’s helpful. That’s something I can pin on a wall and refer to when I’m having hard days, that’s a page that reminds me directly of my connection to the people I care about, and who care about me. Truth told, that’s something I wish this book had more of; worksheets like this, interspersed with the images. Things that get the user thinking about what it means to be trans in an active way, things that can teach tips or tricks to better enable proper self care. Maybe in a volume two? Until then, you can find a copy of this volume here, where Theo has graciously made it available for pay-what-you-want pricing.
