I think white artists have a responsibility to be not only naming white supremacy, but to be using their power and privilege to support artists of color.

Children's books have great potential to reveal new possibilities to readers, because the intended audience is at an age of genuine learning.

I recently did a reading at an elementary school in Ottawa, and one of the children asked me if I was a girl. I said yes. Another child commented that I had a deep voice. I responded: "Can girls have deep voices?" There was a pause and then the group responded, "Yes!"

My interest in language is steadfast, but I think each project and its accompanying intentions dictate how language must be used.

I especially worry about the ways Canadians can be glib about our supposed difference from the US in our "acceptance" of "diversity."

Generally, I start by observing the existing and popular narratives in my social spheres and media, and the pressures I face in my own life experiences. As someone who is "newly" trans, I am constantly thinking about what the dominant narratives are around transness, how my work can push against these narratives, and how it already falls into these traps.

I used singing as a safety measure. I would pay attention to what songs the popular girls liked, learn those songs from the radio or library cassettes, and then "accidentally" sing or hum these songs in class. This would impress the girls, who would then defend me from the boys.