There Are Trans People Here

by H. Melt

There are trans people here in the past, the present, and the future. H. Melt's writing centers the deep care, love, and joy within trans communities. This poetry collection describes moments of resistance in queer and trans history as catalysts for movements today. It honors trans ancestors and contemporary activists, artists, and writers fighting for trans liberation. There Are Trans People Here is a testament to the healing power of community and the beauty of trans people, history, and culture.

Genres: Poetry, Queer, LGBT, Transgender, Nonfiction, Queer Lit, History

100 pages, Paperback

First published November 16, 2021

About the author

H. Melt is a poet, artist, and educator whose work proudly celebrates Chicago’s queer and trans communities. Their writing has appeared many places including In These Times, The Offing, and Them, the first trans literary journal in the United States. They are the author of The Plural, The Blurring and editor of Subject to Change: Trans Poetry & Conversation. Lambda Literary awarded them the Judith A. Markowitz Award for Emerging LGBTQ Writers in 2017. They’ve also been named to Newcity’s Lit 50 list, as well as Windy City Times’ 30 under 30. H. Melt co-leads Queeriosity at Young Chicago Authors and works at Women & Children First, Chicago’s feminist bookstore.

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

“There Are Trans People Here” (2021) is written by the award-winning poet H. Melt. In this boldly crafted collection every aspect of trans identity, experience, events and culture are widely celebrated. In addition, acclaimed and prominent historical trans pioneers (elders) are recognized for their outreach and march for human rights and social justice; along with many contemporary influencers, artists, writers in modern society. There are facts, lists, and recommendations for further study, some of the poems have been previously published. The four artistic collages featuring hundreds of (trans) people are awesome!

The introduction poem is the same as the title of the book: “There Are Trans People Here” which shows that trans people live all over in unnamed cities and communities and have the same jobs and careers as everyone else. “Dysphoria Js Not My Name” (after Ross Gay) highlights the unpopularity of selective surgery and the beauty signified by scars, “Trans Care” is the follow-up indicating the necessity of insurance, care plans, and aftercare that includes loving family and friends, this similar theme continues in the poem: “Intensive Care.”

The poems featuring literary themes are a favorite subject matter really stand out. The oldest gay bookstore in the country “Giovanni’s Room” (titled poem) is located in Philadelphia, PA. The store is named after the 1956 classic novel written by the acclaimed gay literary icon James Baldwin (1924-87). Over the years brick and mortar bookstores have closed in alarming numbers or are restructured to keep the doors open. Giovanni’s Room is currently operated by an AIDS non-profit and sells other things besides new and used books. H. Melt describes being employed “At The Dream Job” that is, working for a low-wage feminist bookstore in a stressful verbally abusive environment. “If You Are Over Cis People” (after the feminist poet Morgan Parker) has some advice for change.

The poet happily recalls “Meeting Chelsea Manning” (after the Lambda Literary Awards). In the poem, “Trans Lit” according to Melt, is b******t unless it is written by trans people. Without (literary) education, awareness, and advocacy, attaining tolerance and understanding of our differences is challenging. Trans literature (regardless of author identity) clarifies and answers our basic most curious questions, it is necessary without question in a modern literate society. Many of the poems seemingly favor a separatist ideology/agenda for trans persons, more noticeably in the poem: “Trans Day of Revenge.” Every form of discrimination must be resisted, always. H. Melt (they/them) is a nonbinary transgender poet, author, artist, educator, and is based in Chicago, Illinois. (3*GOOD) ** With thanks to the Seattle Public Library for this book loan.

[jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

poetry wise this isn't my style. theme wise though i think that a lot of important topics were covered and i especially appreciated the afterword and the resources provided

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Let us hope for a day
when we no longer
need to pray for
our safety."

[Megan O'Hara · Rating 4 out of 5]

told my mom I would leave for her house 30 minutes ago haha SIKE my actual priority is gobbling down poems about trans joy and crying!!!!

[BookChampions · Rating 4 out of 5]

*There Are Trans People Here* is the full-length poetry collection by H. Melt of my hometown of Chicago. It's a collection H. Melt centers on trans joy and trans care. It isn't a book that will rip your heart into shreds or, for those mystified by poetry, leave you scratching your head.

Its illuminating simplicity and unabashed joy are its strength, for it leaves no reader, especially its target audience, trans readers, in the dark. As they say in "Trans Lit (after Jamila Woods)," "Trans Lit is bullshit unless it is written / by trans people, unless it is written / for trans people."

If you are looking for how one finds joy in resistance or if you are a queer reader just tired by the marginalization and the fight, this book is the shot in the arm, leg, mind, and heart you need. In stark, unadorned prose, H. Melt celebrates the worth (and validates the rage) of every trans person and the importance of found family and self-care.

I can't wait to find ways to use this book in my classroom!

[Em · Rating 5 out of 5]

my 1st book of 2022!

[Mollie Murbach]

Leaving this one unrated because I’m struggling to assemble coherent thoughts.

As a collection of poems only about 25% of this really worked for me and my taste in poetry.

However the overall theme of trans liberation, especially within the afterword and discussion sections are incredible and I truly think this has a place in classrooms to accompany any conversation about trans liberation

[Kay ☾ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I WANT MORE TRANS POETRY

[Iona Sharma]

An earnest, whole-hearted piece of trans art by a trans poet, about trans experience. It has stuff to say about trans medical care, history, community, humanity. It's a shame it's so bad. I worry about this sometimes - art that actively contributes to a social justice project (yay!) that is not, well, good (uh). But poetry is art by way of language, and there is no use of language here, no employment of the actual conventions, or unconventions, of the form. It's 100 pages of protest slogans (which, lol, would be cool and artistic as a form of poetry if deliberate!). But.

[Jules Nymo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written by trans for trans (and everyone else, of course, but especially trans), this collection of trans poetry shot through my heart and made it clear that despite everything, cisgender people, places that oppress us, hate us, beat us, order us around, and all that god awful stuff, there is such a thing as trans joy.

Generally, I am a fan of anything dark and traumatizing as a way to cope with my life, but it sure is nice to read something so beautiful and joyous. An epitome of how we can be happy. How trans people can coexist with the word 'happiness.' Yes, it's true; it's a possibility.

While I didn't love all of the poems, I enjoyed most of them and was so glad to stumble across this book. It was relatable on many levels - here's an excerpt I loved:

"Where we are taught
to love instead of to kill
ourselves"

because suicide is highly relevant to many trans people, this poem encourages you, us, to explore life outside that one haunting option we often think is the best one. Many of us don't think maybe we were meant to be here amongst so many people telling us we are not who we are when we are, making us deeply depressed and feeling suffocated, stuck. Mental health issues are severely high in the trans communities, so to have poems so light and happy was a bright reminder that, yes, we should stay and be with people who see us and be with people like us, trans.

Another poem I liked (an excerpt from the end of the poem) titled "Trans Day of Revenge"

on trans day of revenge
playgrounds will be full
of trans children laughing
learning & loving
isn't that the best
revenge.

If you're trans, this is for you. If you're not, well, I would still recommend it. It's a beautiful little collection.

[Kazen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a collection highlighting trans joy and gender euphoria, written by a trans person for trans folx. As such, it's not for me, and I appreciate the opportunity to peek at the liberated world Melt envisions.

My thoughts about this book largely echo that of their first - some of the ideas are going to rattle around my head for a while, but there were precious few lines that hit me the chest and stuck. I would highly suggest reading reviews written by trans folx, though, as this is first and foremost a book for them.

Thanks to Haymarket Books for providing a review copy.

[River · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a trans person and poetry lover, this felt like more of a primer for cis people than something that actually pushed trans literature and poetry forward in a meaningful way. There were a few poems I enjoyed but I largely felt unaffected, which isn’t an emotion I enjoy having after reading poetry

[Effy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simply beautiful, I wish this collection had been longer! 4.5/5 stars.

[Iris · Rating 2 out of 5]

all my love to trans people writing in the 2020s, and the political sentiments expressed here are definitely strong, but we have to start getting weirder with our poetry. a little subtlety is never a bad thing

[Tony Smith]

It's hard to give this book a fair rating because as a book about trans joy and trans liberation 5/5 stars, as a book of poetry maybe 2/5 stars. I am both trans and an avid lover of poetry so this was hard for me to place, but overall, I do appreciate the themes and messages H. Melt was expressing in the pieces. I just also think that maybe a different format, like short stories maybe would have been better suited for this.

[Kora Dzbinski · Rating 2 out of 5]

wanted to love this as a fellow Chicago trans bb but there is better trans poetry, better liberation poetry, and bolder work out there. still thankful to see it out in the world and would buy a copy for someone newly out or new to poetry in a heartbeat. the afterword and study guides are great.

[Hannah Showalter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really loved all these poems about trans joy and community!

[Sundial · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, H. Melt, for writing about trans joy and futures!

[Isaak · Rating 5 out of 5]

"i need to know trans joy exists in order to imagine myself living in the future." (H. Melt)

i read this book on the public train and started crying

[bella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poems that are at times heartbreaking, yet life-affirming and hopeful at others. These poems are full of trans joy and celebrate found/chosen family.

[Andrew Eder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very quick poetry read, but one that you can revisit over and over and pick something else out of it. I loooved the focus on trans JOY and gender EUPHORIA while also not ignoring the not so great parts. The poems are pretty manageable and down to earth, no major or wild inferring needed. There were some poems that really hit me and some that didn’t, but my cis opinion doesn’t carry really any weight on this topic. Nevertheless, my favorite poems were On Trans Street, Trans House, Take Me To The Trans Spa, Camp Trans, and Trans Museum (I’m thinking of somehow displaying these poems on my walls or something, that’s how much I liked those poems!).

[Suzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Warm, inviting poetry imagining joyful trans futures!!

favorites: I Don’t Want a Trans President, Trans Temple

[Homopoda davidbowie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The flow of the poetry wasn’t my favorite, but the messages and representation are what make it a 4

[Java · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not gender dysphoria but gender euphoria.

[Eva Helena · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 stars

Absolutely loved the trans joy that radiates from these pages, but poetry wise it wasn’t really my style.

[Emmaby Barton Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

really enjoyed this collection! however, 4 not 5 stars bc while i appreciated/could feel the emotion in the poems, none *really* spoke to me/i wasn’t underlining/wanting to save any of that makes sense?


"there are millions of us, naturally occurring sweet things, with names we carved ourselves"

"the only thing to do is simply continue / i do not want to continue without you"

"we are living in a new world. you can join us or become extinct"

"where we are taught to love instead of kill ourselves"

"let us be beautiful on our own terms"

"on trans day of revenge playgrounds will be full of trans children / laughing learning and loving / isn't that the best revenge"

"i don't want trans capitalists walking on wall street or trans cops patrolling my neighbourhood"

[Jessica Ranard · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the afterword of There Are Trans People Here, H. Melt writes about the possibility of abolition, of liberation, of universal healthcare, of a world free of police. They write, "I know all of these things are possible because they are already happening." Which is like. What these poems feel like? Possible because they are already happening. Already happening. Melt imagines a trans museum, a city of trans liberation, trans house, trans day of revenge, everything trans. I'm just. Taken aback, in the way where you start crying after a surprise party because you feel possible, you feel real, and that is what these poems do. These poems. They are odes to trans elders, to our friends, to history, to meal trains, to surgeries, to books, to slurs, to flowers, to our dreams. I read this book and I am marching and I am screaming: Yes! There are trans people here!

[TheNextGenLibrarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author and poet @hmeltchi shares their story and others through a poetry collection.
🏳️‍⚧️
This title centers on the history, the love and acceptance in the #trans community, as well as the struggles many still face today. It honors trans activists, artists, authors and everyone who fights for #transrights. Such a beautiful tribute to this community.
🏳️‍⚧️
The poem “Trans Lit” was my favorite in this group of amazing poems to choose from. There were so many lines from this collection that hit me right in the solar plexus, but this one was my favorite because of all the book banning that surrounds the lgbtq community right now. I went looking for #books written by #trans people for #ownvoices choices for #transrightsreadathon and I found it with this title. It was honest and raw and beautiful. 5⭐️

CW: misgendering, surgery, police brutality, transphobia, homophobia, violence

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

There Are Trans People Here is a brilliant collection of trans utopian poetry. With moving and beautiful poems that serve to provide joy, community, and hope for marginalised people, especially trans people. It imagines a world in which we aren't othered for transness, queerness, being Jewish, being disabled, being a sex worker, being incarcerated, but rather that we exist in a world where our inclusive communities can take centre stage. I loved this. I read it out of the library, but I think I'll have to get my own copy. I hope I get the chance to read more poetry from H. Melt. Definitely recommended!

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I remember the first time I picked up Nan Goldin's photography book The Other Side. [...] I was moved by the introduction, which states: 'the pictures in this book are not of people suffering gender dysphoria but rather expressing gender euphoria'" (53).

"My radical imagination was crucial in writing this book. Marianne Kaba writes in We Do This 'Til We Free Us, 'My friend, scholar and activist Erica Meiners says that liberation under oppression is unthinkable by design...Our charge is to make imagining liberation under oppression completely thinkable'" (54).