The TransAkcija Institute and DobraVaga invite you to an event on the occasion of the publication of the Non-binary Zine. At TransAction, we co-created the Non-binary Zine with many non-binary persons. As such, the zine represents a collaborative, community product and thus the first such publication on non-binary topics in Slovenia.The purpose of the zine is to present and reflect on the experience of non-binarity and all topics related to the life of non-binary persons through the work of non-binary persons themselves. Non-binary Zine is thus an attempt to think about the topic of gender non-binarity or about persons with nonbinary gender identities in the cisheteropatriarchal world and beyond.In doing so, we will also be interested in zines as a medium used by marginalized communities, in this case, the queer community for creating their own stories, visibility, and reclaiming. Zines as a space where we create important content for ourselves, a space that is not given to us until we take it for ourselves.“For me, non-binarity means taking away the pressure of binary society, liberty, freedom of body and expression.”“Non-binarity represents the universe to me. Spacious, full of endless possibilities, wonderful, and – if you really look around – truly beautiful. At the same time, it is so endless that it is incomprehensible and scary for many.” (both quotes taken from the Non-binary Zine)The TransAkcija Institute and DobraVaga invite you to an event on the occasion of the publication of the Non-binary Zine. At TransAction, we co-created the Non-binary Zine with many non-binary persons. As such, the zine represents a collaborative, community product and thus the first such publication on non-binary topics in Slovenia. The purpose of the zine is to present and reflect on the experience of non-binarity and all topics related to the life of non-binary persons through the work of non-binary persons themselves. Non-binary Zine is thus an attempt to think about the topic of gender non-binarity or about persons with nonbinary gender identities in the cisheteropatriarchal world and beyond.In doing so, we will also be interested in zines as a medium used by marginalized communities, in this case, the queer community for creating their own stories, visibility, and reclaiming. Zines as a space where we create important content for ourselves, a space that is not given to us until we take it for ourselves.At the event, we will first present the Non-binary Zine and talk about zines as a medium. Afterwards, we wish to open up the space to reflections by all participants and, of course, all those who contributed to the zine. Evan Grm, program manager at the TransAkcija Institute, Nuka Horvat, who designed and edited the zine, and Tea Hvala, zine author, writer, and art critic, will take part in the discussion. The zine will be available online and, for the first time, in physical form at the event. After the event, it will also be available free of charge at the DobraVaga Gallery.The event will take place as part of TransFormations VI: Transgender Awareness Month, organized by the TransAkcija Institute for the sixth year in a row. The central theme this year is communities; their development, construction, questioning, and strengthening. We are certain that the presentation of the Non-binary Zine has special value in forming and solidifying community ties.Nuka Horvat graduated in June 2021 from the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Ljubljana, majoring in Illustration. He works with paintings and graphics and makes comics, zines, and illustrations. Thematically, he likes to combine art and (trans) activism. Since 2018, he has been part of the TransAkcija team, where he participates as a volunteer.Tea Hvala published her first zine Pssst … in 1997. After four issues and a half, it was followed by Potopis kože (2001), Slastičarna (KUD Anarhiv & KUD Mreža, 2002), The Curved (2004), Izvajanje velikega blatarja (self-published, Damijan Kracina, 2007), 3 Stories (2010), StiffSmiles (2013), Discord (LBAL, 2015) and Podzemlje (self-published, Bata Leviki, 2016). Between 2008 and 2016, she co-authored zines of collectively created stories and collages during the In OtherWor(l)ds workshops.The TransAkcija Institute is the first and (so far) the only trans-specific organization in Slovenia. It is composed of trans persons who are working with trans persons and for trans persons. We work towards providing support, information, empowerment, and allyship to transgender people in Slovenia, and our key mission is to advocate for the human rights and freedoms of transgender and gender non-normative persons. We contribute to the visibility of transgender persons and topics in public social spaces and advocate for the emergence of a discourse on gender, gender identities, and gender expressions in the Slovenian public.Organization: TransAkcija Institute and Kino Šiška/DobraVaga
