Sunday September 20, 2015 saw the official launch event of two very important trans archival initiatives at The ArQuives: the Rupert Raj Collection and the Trans Pathfinder. Speakers included Elspeth Brown (Primary Investigator of the LGBTQ Collaboratory), Nicholas Matte (of the Trans Pathfinder and LGBTQ Collaboratory), and Rupert Raj (trans activist, writer, and counsellor, who has donated the Rupert Raj Collection). A profile of the Trans Pathfinder can be found at the LGBTQ Collaboratory). The Rupert Raj Collection marks an important donation to The ArQuives, as the scope of the collection encompasses histories of trans activism in Canada, from 1971 to present. Highlights of The Rupert Raj Collection include: issues of trans-related books, magazines, newsletters, and scrapbooks (including Gender Review, Metamorphosis Magazine, and Gender Networker),correspondence between trans activists and medical professionals, and relevant AV materials. Speaking to the crowd, Nicholas Matte joked about the Rupert Raj Collection’s humble beginnings: reams and reams of files packed into Raj’s closet. Yet, Matte’s joke also spoke to the larger historical exclusion of trans histories from cisnormative archives, with many important trans histories relegated to boxes and closets. Thus, the Rupert Raj Collection also serves as a vital intervention into the systematic erasure of trans archives. On the political significance of the Rupert Raj Collection’s launch, Raj himself told the gathered crowd that, “it is validating to be publicly acknowledged yet again for my 44 years of trans activism across North America since 1971.” The successful launch thus emphasized the necessity of increasing access to trans archival materials. The Rupert Raj Collection and Trans Pathfinder Launches at The ArQuives!
