About the Philadelphia Trans Oral History Project
The Philadelphia Trans Oral History Project (PTOHP) is a community engagement initiative that preserves and makes publicly accessible the stories of trans, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming people. The project will begin by interviewing those who have meaningful connections to the city of Philadelphia. The project places an emphasis on stories that have traditionally not been heard, and it especially welcomes the contributions of trans elders. The goal of the PTOHP is to conduct oral history interviews and make them widely available online through digital recordings and searchable transcripts.
The PTOHP also seeks to honor the wide diversity of trans, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming lives. The project is invested in redressing how histories of gender expansiveness have been medicalized, commodified, and erased. To this end, no one will be told they are not trans enough to participate.
Interviewees, students, and other community interviewers will work together to produce a co-owned archive of audio and/or video recordings that share gender-expansive experiences. The PTOHP will also host listening sessions for participants who wish to share with their community but do not want their interview recorded and/or made publicly available.
Through a collaborative interview process, the PTOHP will maintain and make accessible this archive of trans, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming stories. The project aims to foster lasting intergenerational bonds and community healing.
If you are interested in participating, please fill out this PTOHP interest form.
About the Team
Nat DiFrank project manager, PTOHP
Che Gossett associate director, FQT center
Cynthia Heider public digital scholarship librarian, Penn Libraries
Cassandra Hradil digital humanities specialist, Price Lab
site developer & designer
Nat Rivkin graduate associate
site developer & designer
Liz Rose graduate associate
Eva Pensis postdoctoral fellow