Trans People Have Always Existed

Trans People Have Always Existed is a powerful act of remembrance, resistance, and education. In this self-portrait, Samuel Avery situates his body within a landscape of printed histories—archival images, texts, and records that affirm the presence of trans and gender-diverse people across time and cultures.

The bold statement written across the background—“Trans existence is rooted in human history”—confronts attempts to erase or deny this reality. Holding a chalkboard that reads “You can’t erase us,” Avery invokes the language of learning, emphasizing the urgent need for awareness in a world where trans histories are often ignored or deliberately suppressed.

By merging personal presence with collective memory, the work bridges past and present, honoring trans ancestors while asserting continuity into the future. The piece resists narratives of invisibility and insists on permanence: trans people have always existed, and always will.

This artwork stands as both an educational tool and a declaration of identity—an unyielding reminder that history itself carries the proof of trans existence.