Kae Tempest -- ‘Speaking for the first time about coming out as non-binary’

[Davie]

‘I was living with this boiling hot secret in my heart’ — Kae Tempest

Speaking for the first time about coming out as non-binary,

the hip-hop poet and playwright recalls the pain of adolescence,

and how lyricism, rapping and music provided a lifeline.  

Kae Tempest … ‘I don’t want to say the wrong thing for my people.’

 

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/mar/12/kae-tempest-i-was-living-with-this-boiling-hot-secret-in-my-heart

 

[Ariel Pas]

Really cool that enbies are getting a spotlight for a change.

 

Quote

“Trans people are so loving, so -censored- beautiful,” they say. “I think of my community, and how much strength I’ve got from people telling me I don’t have to go through this alone.” Tempest feels the power of visibility. “If I hide, and I’m ashamed of myself, it’s [as if] I’m ashamed of them.”

 

That quote really resonates with me. As someone that's only recently outed themselves, I can't help but feel the dissonance of being out and proud while in my personal life, but only partially out in my career. I present how I normally do, makeup done every morning before work, but I don't feel comfortable dressing femme at all aside from styling my man clothes to be slightly but imperceptibly feminine. It helps, but only so much.

 

Now that I've grown so comfortable in my chosen name, hearing my birth name is starting to wear on me. Lucky I don't get much dysphoria from being misgendered or else that would be a whole other mess to screw with my head / overall well-being. Although we'll see how that develops because I imagine it'll get old after a while.

 

Thanks for sharing a good article!

[Davie]

Made a new non-binary friend at Fenway Health. Feels very cool.