This design features the logo of Transvestia, the groundbreaking magazine founded in 1960 by Virginia Prince — one of the very first publications in the United States created by and for trans and gender-nonconforming people. At a time when simply expressing gender variance could lead to arrest, job loss, or forced institutionalization, Transvestia offered connection, language, and community long before those words were widely available.
Published for over two decades, the magazine shared personal essays, photographs, advice, and stories from readers across the country. For many, it was the first place they ever saw their own identity reflected back at them — a lifeline in a world that offered very few.
The logo on this shirt represents a pivotal piece of trans history: underground, brave, and transformative. A reminder that visibility didn’t begin with the internet — it began with people writing their truth, sharing it by mail, and building a community one issue at a time.
(Transvestia • 1960–1980s • One of the earliest U.S. publications for trans and gender-variant people.)
