When you first come out as trans and begin to meet other trans people, you realize how many of your interests weren’t unique. Wow! You also like that movie? That book? That food? It’s such a cool thing about forming community with other trans people!

I love when I’m hanging out with a group of trans people who live in the same city, work in the same industries, and met in the same online spaces, and I can go, yeah the reason we love these things is because we are trans and they are TRANS CULTURE.

Here are eight things that are officially trans culture. If you’re cis and like them…egg crack alert!

1. Electronic music

From Wendy Carlos to SOPHIE, trans women have made major contributions to the world of electronic music. So if you like electronic music, you might be trans!

2. Butterfly and seahorse tattoos

Caterpillars turn into beautiful butterflies and male seahorses carry babies, so the community loves to honor these special animals with some ink. If you love these animals enough to put them on your body, it might be because you’re trans.

3. David Lynch

Trans girls love David Lynch! It must be because of his approach to femininity and his interest in the dark underbellies of society. As a trans woman who works in the film industry and in film criticism, all the trans girls I know love Lynch, so it’s safe to assume all trans women in general love him!

4. Cities

Trans people love to live in big cities! At least all the trans people I, a person who lives in a big city, am friends with! Obviously, some people who live in cities aren’t trans. But if you live in a city, your chances of being trans are definitely higher.

5. Chicken parmesan

Yesterday, I went to dinner with some friends and we all wanted the chicken parmesan. ALSO we are all trans? Aha! I exclaimed. Chicken parmesan must be trans culture. My friend wisely, and inclusively, asked about trans people who are vegan. But none of my trans friends are vegan so I’m not sure that identity even exists?

6. Superheroes

People whose bodies change?? And then they fight for justice?? Sounds pretty trans to me! If you gravitate toward movies about superheroes, you’re probably trans.

7. Ice cream

To be fair, I have one trans friend who is lactose intolerant, but even they like dairy-free ice cream, so I’m saying ice cream is trans culture.

8. Dogs

All my trans friends like dogs?? Some of my trans friends even have their own dogs! I think liking dogs might be the surest fire way to know you’re trans.

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