In an era where trans rights are under political attack by many levels of our government and trans people still face alarming rates of violence and stigma, it is critical for all organizations to share how they affirm and uplift trans people. Just as a note, in this blog we use the term trans as an umbrella term to refer to transgender men and women, nonbinary people, and other gender nonconforming people. At Noteworthy, we strive to do more than just include trans people; we want to create a space where trans people feel safe, supported, and empowered. Today, I wish to discuss the ways Noteworthy has created a trans-affirming space and give other organizations tips on how they can do the same.
When it comes to facilitating a performing arts space where creativity can be unfettered and freely unleashed, it’s critical for those in charge to foster an inclusive space where artists’ identities are completely respected. That can look like many things when supporting many different types of people, but with the amount of social hostility and discriminatory legislation against trans people across the country, we want to highlight how Noteworthy actively works to create a community that goes beyond just the semantics of allyship and works towards demonstrating active advocacy. Noteworthy does this through a policy and practice-based approach to inclusivity and support.
We extend this idea of intentional language into all of our written communication and policies. In our policies, we strive to use language that includes trans individuals and their experiences. We also use gender-neutral terms as much as possible, and refer to singers by their voice parts. This allows us to avoid phrases like “male voices'' or “woman’s range.” In my experience as a singer, most choirs and other vocal groups use the language “traditionally male/female voice parts.” This is just one example of how vocal music groups can exclude trans people and minimize their experiences. It incorrectly labels many trans people, who may sing in a voice part that is not typically associated with their gender and completely excludes nonbinary people. We urge other music groups to refer to singers by their voice parts and retire “traditionally male/female voice parts.”
A great example of a way that Noteworthy has grown in its practice-based approach is acknowledging and affirming individuals’ pronouns earlier on in our processes. We inquire about pronouns during our audition intake form not only as a means to avoid confusion, but to ensure that we enthusiastically and thoroughly recognize prospective members’ identities. Furthermore, we want anyone considering membership with us to know that we value their most authentic selves.
Respecting people's identities isn’t something that individuals and organizations can turn on and off, so we have explicitly stated in our policies, “We only consider potential members who can respect trans and non-binary people or are committed to growing in their ability to do so.” Of course we know that not everyone has had the same access to formal education or personal interactions with trans people, so we encourage new members who may come from different backgrounds to simply quickly apologize if mistakes occur and genuinely commit to improvement as per our policies. As stated in our Memorandum of Understanding, to which auditionees must agree in order to be considered for membership, “We don’t expect anyone to be perfect in this, but we do expect people to actively and consistently make the attempt” to respect pronouns and affirm trans Notables. We also find that the welcoming environment we foster not only helps recruit diverse members, but also encourages individuals currently in our group to feel comfortable educating others, without pressuring them to do so. Creating this climate of respect is an integral basis for fostering a trans-inclusive environment.
Clothing can be another issue for trans individuals in arts organizations. In many music groups, there are two performance uniforms: one for men and one for women. Other than our Noteworthy shirts, we always let members put their own twists on whatever our performance dress code is for that specific concert. Whether we are doing Halloween costumes, pajamas, simple red & black clothes, or Gothic/Addams Family, we always let each member choose how they want their clothes to express their identity. Freedom of expression means that all Notables can feel comfortable being themselves and showing up as they are.
Freedom of expression also extends to group members who transition. When a group member comes out as trans, a member of the Executive Board will reach out to them to see how we can accommodate their transition. This may involve changing their voice part, helping them explore their voice if it changes, or keeping them in their current voice part if they feel comfortable there. We want to assure all of our singers that we value their contribution to Noteworthy, and of course, this extends to Notables who transition.
Another crucial aspect of creating a trans-affirming space is education and learning more. While we encourage trans people to share about themselves and their experiences, we never expect them to be responsible for educating the group. The Executive Board makes sure that we educate ourselves on trans issues in the news and in Philadelphia specifically. This allows us to be aware of trans people’s needs and lets us respond to current events that may be impacting the community. Executive Director Vince E. McNeil Jr. also checks in with all Notables to make sure they alert him if Noteworthy needs to change policies or practices in order to support trans individuals. Our DEI statement continues to expand and change as we learn more about how to support people from marginalized communities.
Perhaps the most fun part of trans-inclusion is the opportunity it gives us for creativity. At Noteworthy, we want to push our performers to be innovative by breaking away from gender stereotypes in music arrangements and performances. We open solos up for anyone of any gender, and sometimes explicitly change the gender for duets (girls can sing love songs to girls, boys can sing Taylor Swift and keep the lyrics the same, etc). We also feature songs by trans musicians and songwriters because the trans community also makes excellent music. Remember, trans people are not just great singers/performers. Their presence can add so much to a group and what kinds of messages it can express. In Noteworthy, even non-trans or queer performers enjoy playing with the gender of solos, because it is engaging and fun for everybody to think about gender.
Overall, creating a trans-inclusive environment means being proactive in both small and large ways. Certainly, a large part of it comes from respecting the diversity of our group in general. Everyone in Noteworthy has different needs because of their identity, whether it is religious, gender, cultural, socioeconomic, or the intersection of multiple identities. Making sure we respect each other’s needs and desires goes a very long way in promoting trans inclusion because affirming trans people starts with simply respecting them and their needs. However, we have to go beyond respect in interpersonal interactions. Noteworthy explicitly supports trans individuals, amongst many minority groups, in our policies and guidelines. Every group that wants to support trans people must be willing to make trans-inclusion a permanent part of their rules. Because public discourse about trans people can be so vitriolic, without explicit, written support, trans people may not feel like they are welcome in an organization.
At the end of the day, trans people contribute so much to the performing arts, from the Billboard Hot 100 to college productions of Rocky Horror. Trans musicians, like Sophie, Peppermint, Mykki Blanco, Laura Jane Grace, Arca, and Honey Dijon are innovators and we value how they have contributed to music. It is our duty to make Noteworthy a welcoming place where trans people can foster their love of music and grow as musicians.