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Original Plumbing: The Best of Ten Years of Trans Male Culture
Independently published from 2009 to 2018, Original Plumbing grew from a Bay Area zine to a nationally acclaimed print quarterly dedicated to trans men. For nearly ten years, the magazine was the premier resource focused on their experiences, celebrations, and imaginations, featuring writing on both playful and political topics like selfies, bathrooms, and safer sex; interviews with queer icons such as Janet Mock, Silas Howard, Margaret Cho, and Ian Harvie; and visual art, photography, and short fiction.
In conjunction with the magazine’s ten-year anniversary, this essential collection compiles the best of its twenty-issue run. Selections are reprinted in full color, with an introduction by activist Tiq Milan and a new preface by the founding editors.
In conjunction with the magazine’s ten-year anniversary, this essential collection compiles the best of its twenty-issue run. Selections are reprinted in full color, with an introduction by activist Tiq Milan and a new preface by the founding editors.
400 pages, Paperback
Published May 14, 2019
30 people are currently reading
475 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
July 13, 2019
Original Plumbing captured a generation on the verge of exploding into mainstream consciousness. Bolstered by a strong aesthetic sense, the Original Plumbing zines defined a moment in the history of trans masculinity as sexy, cool, and culturally relevant. This necessary anthology will serve as a time capsule and aesthetic touchpoint for generations to come - as well as doubling, for me personally, as a surprisingly thorough archive of my ex-lovers, friends, and frenemies.
July 26, 2021
What a delight :)
July 26, 2019
Editors Amos and Rocco did an amazing thing with OP Magazine: they made a beautiful print artifact of diverse trans men living full lives across the globe for ten years. During those ten years, the world has changed for trans people in unbelievable ways, and there is still so far to go to make life fair and livable for so many trans and gender-variant people. To hold this gorgeously produced best-of collection in hand is to feel the heft of ten years of work and the huge feat of making what it means to be a trans man multivalent, nuanced, and multiply storied. It is to feel the aggregate of this labor of artistic love in the palm of your hand. Leafing through it is an opportunity to see ourselves as Amos and Rocco see us: as valuable, creative, necessary, complicated humans making our paths through a world that has barely begun to know how to accept our existence. It is to see trans masculine people as captured by fans who also happen to be trans men, and the editors see us as beautiful. This book is a celebration.
July 14, 2022
Content warnings for the book are listed at the end of my review!
This belongs as an essential piece of any trans book collection, especially ones highlighting transmasculine voices, culture, and history. Original Plumbing is a crucial 10 year snapshot of transmasculine lives, bodies, communities, passion, advocacy, and more, bringing readers a rich and personal understanding of transmasculine experiences. This anthology takes all 20 issues of the magazine published from 2009 to 2019 and provides you with some of the highlights of each issue. The issues themselves are each honed in on a specific theme that spans across the works within, such as "The Entertainment Issue" and "The Tattoo Issue". The covers and forwards are always depicted, and the formatting keeps the life and physicality of holding a magazine in your hands.
Genuinely, this was such a cathartic and joyful book really highlighting the powerful quality of trans created works for a trans audience. There is beautiful diversity in the contributions ranging from a trans painter with Tourette's, trans parents with adopted children, ONYX Southeast fraternity of Black trans men in the leather community, recounting history of pioneering transmasculine ancestors, incarcerated trans illustrators, and so much more. The uncensored, limitless, and proud depictions of trans life is so vibrant through the interviews, comics and photography, it is so real and so fresh even with age. Even if they are just brief snapshots, they pack a punch.
It really harkens back to the essentials of trans community resources that are still crucial today, through written education about testosterone experiences, hair grooming, parenting, history, media, and personal growth. Accessibility with time and the internet is increasing, but still everything isn't perfectly compiled, so it's nice to retain the intimacy of handouts, flyers, and zines. It's a major part of our history after all.
That being said... I really had little to no complaints for 95% of the anthology up until the final ironically titled "The Issues Issue" where I was suddenly met with a curveball of gatekeeping. There's an interview featuring a trans man speaking of a "binary vs. nonbinary tension", recounting his own experience of identifying as nonbinary to binary stating, "but I never felt marginalized by transsexual men and once I was blending as male 100% of the time a nonbinary identification ceased to be worth asserting because people saw and treated me as a man." He goes on to compare this to being labeled as a man as a lesbian woman and how aggravating it was until he "gave up", the eventually embraced is transness. This is also followed by his strong complaint of "nonbinary FTMs" attending "FTM groups", despite "nonbinary groups" existing nearby, displacing his lack of understanding of the overlap between the two and how a binary group could still benefit someone for various social or resource-seeking purposes. This is really all the context we get, to the tension he refers to and just paints a transmedicalist picture of nonbinary not being "trans enough".
Additionally, twice in this issue itself, Buck Angel appears, being cited as a "good role model" within an interview, and appearing in a two page picture with a quote. Wherever he appears, especially with the added transmedicalist aura of the interview previously mentioned, is not a sign of good things to come. Buck is a concerning figure (that is a story in itself), so this sudden veer from vast and open diversity and celebration was a disappointing note to end on. I'd like to find more context on this, but as they say, “You either die a hero or live to see yourself become the villain.”
I don't think these blips among a hearty anthology overall damages the important work that it is, but it is absolutely worth acknowledging to discuss the harm exclusionary behavior does within our communities.
Summary:
Readability: ★★★★☆, This would be such a great coffee table book, especially in queer settings. It's a lot of small digestible works, 1-3 page articles, short poems, photography projects, personal bios, illustrations, it all fits together smoothly under each issue's theme. It's very easy to pick up and put down because of that, you can flip around and enjoy the massive catalogue of photography, read a few interviews you were interested in, and return when ready. Because of that for some readers it'll be a refreshing and easy read with how fast paced it is, but others may find the sudden changes hard to read in one sitting.
Entertainment: ★★★★★, This was fun, and we need more trans fun in this word. Guys and folks talking about their careers, kids, sports, projects, and selves in such an open way is so sweet. It really reads like a zine + teen pop culture magazine + text chat, full of energy and an entertaining format. There's so many pictures, trans people topless (pre/post/no op, so a wonderful variety!) trans people in the 70s, trans people in pageant suits, trans people in athletic clothes, trans people in leather gear... So many elated smiles!
Audience: Trans men, transmascs, nonbinary people, of any experience, this is a must read. I think this could be huge for people newly out or looking to find their roots + people like them. You will see trans bodies and lives how they should be seen, with excitement, with praise, with a human normality that rarely is lent to us. Anyone else looking to learn about transmascs, this is a strong start, but I wouldn't recommend it as a starting point for cis readers, but it's worth cycling back to once ready. I absolutely recommend this with all of my heart.
Content Warnings: Adoption, alcohol, anal, bullying, car accident, depression, drugs, dysphoria, fisting, gendered body language, hate crimes, hiv/aids, incest mention, kink, masturbation, medical gatekeeping, misgendering, needle images, nudity, orgy, porn, pregnancy, pulse shooting, racism, religious discrimination, sex, sex work, sexual stigma, slurs, smoking, suicide, surgery stigma, theft, transmedicalism, transphobia, violence, vomit
This belongs as an essential piece of any trans book collection, especially ones highlighting transmasculine voices, culture, and history. Original Plumbing is a crucial 10 year snapshot of transmasculine lives, bodies, communities, passion, advocacy, and more, bringing readers a rich and personal understanding of transmasculine experiences. This anthology takes all 20 issues of the magazine published from 2009 to 2019 and provides you with some of the highlights of each issue. The issues themselves are each honed in on a specific theme that spans across the works within, such as "The Entertainment Issue" and "The Tattoo Issue". The covers and forwards are always depicted, and the formatting keeps the life and physicality of holding a magazine in your hands.
Genuinely, this was such a cathartic and joyful book really highlighting the powerful quality of trans created works for a trans audience. There is beautiful diversity in the contributions ranging from a trans painter with Tourette's, trans parents with adopted children, ONYX Southeast fraternity of Black trans men in the leather community, recounting history of pioneering transmasculine ancestors, incarcerated trans illustrators, and so much more. The uncensored, limitless, and proud depictions of trans life is so vibrant through the interviews, comics and photography, it is so real and so fresh even with age. Even if they are just brief snapshots, they pack a punch.
It really harkens back to the essentials of trans community resources that are still crucial today, through written education about testosterone experiences, hair grooming, parenting, history, media, and personal growth. Accessibility with time and the internet is increasing, but still everything isn't perfectly compiled, so it's nice to retain the intimacy of handouts, flyers, and zines. It's a major part of our history after all.
That being said... I really had little to no complaints for 95% of the anthology up until the final ironically titled "The Issues Issue" where I was suddenly met with a curveball of gatekeeping. There's an interview featuring a trans man speaking of a "binary vs. nonbinary tension", recounting his own experience of identifying as nonbinary to binary stating, "but I never felt marginalized by transsexual men and once I was blending as male 100% of the time a nonbinary identification ceased to be worth asserting because people saw and treated me as a man." He goes on to compare this to being labeled as a man as a lesbian woman and how aggravating it was until he "gave up", the eventually embraced is transness. This is also followed by his strong complaint of "nonbinary FTMs" attending "FTM groups", despite "nonbinary groups" existing nearby, displacing his lack of understanding of the overlap between the two and how a binary group could still benefit someone for various social or resource-seeking purposes. This is really all the context we get, to the tension he refers to and just paints a transmedicalist picture of nonbinary not being "trans enough".
Additionally, twice in this issue itself, Buck Angel appears, being cited as a "good role model" within an interview, and appearing in a two page picture with a quote. Wherever he appears, especially with the added transmedicalist aura of the interview previously mentioned, is not a sign of good things to come. Buck is a concerning figure (that is a story in itself), so this sudden veer from vast and open diversity and celebration was a disappointing note to end on. I'd like to find more context on this, but as they say, “You either die a hero or live to see yourself become the villain.”
I don't think these blips among a hearty anthology overall damages the important work that it is, but it is absolutely worth acknowledging to discuss the harm exclusionary behavior does within our communities.
Summary:
Readability: ★★★★☆, This would be such a great coffee table book, especially in queer settings. It's a lot of small digestible works, 1-3 page articles, short poems, photography projects, personal bios, illustrations, it all fits together smoothly under each issue's theme. It's very easy to pick up and put down because of that, you can flip around and enjoy the massive catalogue of photography, read a few interviews you were interested in, and return when ready. Because of that for some readers it'll be a refreshing and easy read with how fast paced it is, but others may find the sudden changes hard to read in one sitting.
Entertainment: ★★★★★, This was fun, and we need more trans fun in this word. Guys and folks talking about their careers, kids, sports, projects, and selves in such an open way is so sweet. It really reads like a zine + teen pop culture magazine + text chat, full of energy and an entertaining format. There's so many pictures, trans people topless (pre/post/no op, so a wonderful variety!) trans people in the 70s, trans people in pageant suits, trans people in athletic clothes, trans people in leather gear... So many elated smiles!
Audience: Trans men, transmascs, nonbinary people, of any experience, this is a must read. I think this could be huge for people newly out or looking to find their roots + people like them. You will see trans bodies and lives how they should be seen, with excitement, with praise, with a human normality that rarely is lent to us. Anyone else looking to learn about transmascs, this is a strong start, but I wouldn't recommend it as a starting point for cis readers, but it's worth cycling back to once ready. I absolutely recommend this with all of my heart.
Content Warnings: Adoption, alcohol, anal, bullying, car accident, depression, drugs, dysphoria, fisting, gendered body language, hate crimes, hiv/aids, incest mention, kink, masturbation, medical gatekeeping, misgendering, needle images, nudity, orgy, porn, pregnancy, pulse shooting, racism, religious discrimination, sex, sex work, sexual stigma, slurs, smoking, suicide, surgery stigma, theft, transmedicalism, transphobia, violence, vomit
July 18, 2019
Original Plumbing, The Anthology, is a huge compilation of ten years of OP the trans male quarterly magazine rolled into a fun pink glossy volume, beautiful both to have in your home and to hold in your hands. But not only does OP look good in its ten year celebratory form, it is good.
If you have not been privy to the past ten years of the magazine (2009 – 2019) , its writings, reflections, and interviews of trans male culture, sports, changes and lives, and always filled with glorious photos, this is your chance to have it all (the best of) in your hands! Published by Amos Mac & Rocco Kayiatos, they are to be commended on their diligence and commitment. They brought us not only interviews with those who are newsworthy today, but also the experiences of every day trans guys who live their lives out of spotlights and stories of trans culture forefathers who came before us, as well. This book is filled with important history and is a keeper.
…Well worth every penny and so cute…
If you have not been privy to the past ten years of the magazine (2009 – 2019) , its writings, reflections, and interviews of trans male culture, sports, changes and lives, and always filled with glorious photos, this is your chance to have it all (the best of) in your hands! Published by Amos Mac & Rocco Kayiatos, they are to be commended on their diligence and commitment. They brought us not only interviews with those who are newsworthy today, but also the experiences of every day trans guys who live their lives out of spotlights and stories of trans culture forefathers who came before us, as well. This book is filled with important history and is a keeper.
…Well worth every penny and so cute…
July 18, 2019
This book is a must read for anyone interested in human life. The photos are thoughtful and intriguing, the stories candid and captivating. Amos and Rocco are courageous men who have committed themselves to creating visibility and change in a world that has largely ignored trans men or has dismissed their identities beyond simply being trans. We are all so much more than our gender. This book highlights that truth, among others. Admit it. You’ve heard of nothing else like it. You’re dying to read it, so buy it now.
September 23, 2020
OP is so great. This stays on my nightstand and I would read a few pages every night. It worked well in that form, allowing as much or as little as I needed. It was wonderful to end each day with deep, nuanced portrayals of trans masc people.
July 12, 2019
This book is gorgeous in so many ways. It's art and life, image and story, past and future. Holding this book feels like holding history, feels like hoping for more. Don't miss it.
February 6, 2024
So fun to read the highlights of this magazine over the years. I enjoyed reading it when it was being published, but rereading now it so fascinating as trans/queer life changes so quickly, it is a neat time capsule.
January 31, 2022
When I'm feeling frustrated, it's nice to open this book and read about all the transmasc people that came before me.
November 11, 2025
The photography is what really sets Original Plumbing apart. There's page after page of glossy photographs showcasing trans folks looking happy, empowered, and often sexy. Most of the photographs are of trans men, from folks in classy suits or sports gear to almost naked, with top surgery scars or without, but there's also photos of non-binary folks and trans women, including one of most exuberant photograph of Janet Mock I've ever seen.
This is very much a primary source on trans history. Even as someone who cares deeply about trans masc history, I recognized less than 10% of the people in this book and I don't know much more about them after reading it. There's tons of trans history here, but the primary focus is to show the joy (and yes, sometimes the struggles) of being trans the way trans men actually experience them. There are interviews with incarcerated trans men, trans men of color, trans men in the South, skater bois and pageant show winners, authors and lawyers, and so many more.
This is very much a primary source on trans history. Even as someone who cares deeply about trans masc history, I recognized less than 10% of the people in this book and I don't know much more about them after reading it. There's tons of trans history here, but the primary focus is to show the joy (and yes, sometimes the struggles) of being trans the way trans men actually experience them. There are interviews with incarcerated trans men, trans men of color, trans men in the South, skater bois and pageant show winners, authors and lawyers, and so many more.
January 23, 2022
I wish I’d known about OP in its early days. As a trans masculine person who only started social and medical transition in my 30s, I know how hard it was to get much information about transmasc existence, experience, and issues until very recently. This collection of every issue of Original Plumbing was a joy to read and view. Topics cover many facets of transmasculine life, and the articles span a wide representation of transmasculine experience. In the ten year span of the publication, you can mark the progression of trans visibility and the change in the social and political landscape. The layout is gorgeous and the collection is so valuable. I’m so grateful for the work Amos and Rocco have done and hope to see more in the future!
September 2, 2024
Really appreciated this peek into trans male culture (along with transmasc and trans women and nonbinary folks). Beyond the beauty of trans*-ness and the work that still needs to be done, this helped me understand my own gender more. Transmasc aesthetics appeal to me, and I resonate with the desire to have no gender placed upon me. However, I feel that I do not want to be a man, which was made clear by the distinct lack of yearning I felt as I looked at and read about these incredible trans men. I'm so happy that we're in a space where there are so many pieces of art that can help us understand our genders.
May 25, 2021
I just finished reading this anthology this morning, and wow . . . this was exactly what I needed in my life right now. I've been living in the closet as trans for a little over a year, feeling isolated and without community, and this collection helped fill that void in a way I will always be grateful for. A part of me is disappointed that I missed the Original Plumbing era, with new issues being released in real time, but another part of me believes I found OP exactly when I needed it. Very grateful for this magazine.
April 4, 2023
I loved this collection and its loving depictions of dozens and dozens of different trans men! I wish I had known about Original Plumbing when it was being serialized and could have attended the release parties! Community!!
June 17, 2024
I've been really feeling like I needed a fiction book about happy successful transgender men. Thank god I instead found a magazine spanning a decade that highlights all the best parts of trans life and joy.
June 5, 2025
Such a landmark collection—Original Plumbing really carved out space for trans male voices when so few platforms existed Water heater. Seeing it all brought together like this feels like both a celebration and a time capsule .
October 14, 2025
For professional, friendly, and reliable water heater repair service, PrimeSB Plumbing is the team you can rely on. When your comfort depends on hot water, depend on the experts who deliver it with skill and care.
May 1, 2020
Something every young person of trans, non-binary, and/or gender non-conforming experience should have. It is pure joy.
September 17, 2021
Totally hot.
March 24, 2023
Lifesaving and just plain fun coexisting beautifully
January 29, 2025
Finally finished this one omg!!! Borrowed from a friend and took my sweet time, what a beautiful time capsule of trans history. Going to have to get my own copy, this is a treasure!
February 11, 2025
fills you with a trans sensibility that nearly everything about one’s life is worth celebrating and worth sharing with others
January 23, 2025
kind of interview heavy but i loved all the pictures
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews