“It’s not just that I want to be able to wear a dress to school…”

Friend, today we sit down with Donato Fatuesi to hear more about her lived experiences as a trans woman.

Donato shares her journey of growing up with a feminine energy in a supportive family despite societal pressures and religious indoctrination in Samoa culture.

She explains the importance of visibility and the struggles trans individuals face regarding safety, employment, and acceptance.

Together we chat through some of the common fears and misconceptions about the trans community, the importance of empathy, and the necessity of building intentional relationships with queer and trans people to foster a more understanding society.

Donato shares a powerful call to action that I hope you’ll take, friend.

Head over to Threads or slide into my DMs on Instagram to continue this chat. Thank you for being here with an open mind as we meet people that may be different from ourselves.

Transformations seeks to address the complex web of intersectional systems of power and oppression facing trans women of color, including colorism, anti-Blackness, immigration status, sexism, and trans misogyny that we face both in mainstream society as well as specifically within majority white, queer community spaces.