Issue 4 of Holdfast Magazine went online today. This is a diversity special. It includes awesome stuff like an interview with Stephanie Saulter, an Afrofuturism playlist, a letter to Octavia Butler, and even a contribution from me.

My article is titled, “There’s More To Me Than Crisis And Tragedy”, and it is all about how trans characters in books, even when authors make a determined effort to get things right, can still manage to portray trans people in something of a negative light. Of course given where we are starting from — either being ignored of laughed at — any attempt at a respectful representation is to be welcomed. But I do think that authors can do better, and I hope that they will. You can read the article here.

I suspect that one or two people reading that will think I’ve lost my mind, because all they will remember of Triton is the character of Bron. If you are in that group, I’d like to remind you that Sam is a trans character too. As I recall, Chip was living downstairs from a gender clinic when he wrote that book. He will have seen the full spectrum of patients, both good and bad.

It also occurs to me that I should have made mention of Sandra MacDonald’s lovely collection, Diana Comet and Other Improbable Stories. Diana is definitely a trans character who gets to do more than suffer.