The book Trans, published in 2020 by ÉPICÈNE, is a remarkable and deeply thoughtful project that seeks to deconstruct the pervasive stereotypes surrounding transgender individuals while highlighting their humanity and diversity. Through forty-six carefully curated portraits, the book presents a multifaceted view of transgender life in Switzerland, offering readers both a visual and narrative experience that is rare in its depth and authenticity.
Each portrait combines a photograph by the talented photographer Noura Gauper with an in-depth interview conducted in one of Switzerland’s three main national languages by a professional journalist. The work includes twenty-three women and twenty-three men, representing a broad geographic and cultural spectrum with twenty participants from Swiss Romandy, twenty from the German-speaking regions, and six from Ticino, reflecting the rich diversity within the country.
The primary objective of Trans is to challenge discrimination and social exclusion, issues that continue to affect transgender individuals disproportionately. Studies have shown that the suicide rate among trans* people is ten times higher than that of the cisgender population, and unemployment rates are six times greater, revealing systemic barriers that hinder full societal integration.
