Transgender Archives

The Transgender Archives at the University of Victoria is committed to the preservation of the history of pioneering activists, community leaders, and researchers who have contributed to the betterment of trans, nonbinary, Two-Spirit, and other gender-diverse people.

Since 2007, we have been actively acquiring documents, rare publications, and memorabilia of persons and organizations associated with activism by and for trans, nonbinary, Two-Spirit, and other gender-diverse people.

We began with the generous donation of the Rikki Swin Institute collection. The Transgender Archives have been enhanced by other significant donations including the personal papers of Reed Erickson, the entire University of Ulster Trans-Gender Archive collection, and the records of Zenith Foundation of Vancouver Canada, among many others.

Our records span over 160 meters or 530 linear feet (1.5 football fields long), go back over 120 years, and are in 15 languages from 23 countries on six continents. Our collections comprise the largest trans archives in the world. We are accessible to everyone, free of charge.

Celebrating 10 Years!

The Transgender Archives is celebrating our first TEN YEARS! We officially launched in late Fall 2011 at a joint gathering of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, the Southern Comfort Conference, and the U.S. Gay and Lesbian Medical Association, all meeting at the Emory Conference Center in Atlanta, Georgia.

Since then, our team at the Chair in Transgender Studies and UVic Libraries have been honoured to be able to assist students, community and academic researchers, and members of the general public to find out more about the history of Trans+ people.

This upcoming year will be a year of celebration! It will be a year of looking back, and a year of looking forward, and we want you to be a part of it. Over the upcoming year, you will see special 10 Year Anniversary content from us!

Transvestia

Transvestia was the first widely distributed magazine focused on the cross-dressing community. All 111 issues (1960-1986) are now digitized and available online!

Erickson Educational Foundation

Starting in 1964, the Erickson Educational Foundation (EEF), a philanthropic organization funded by Reed Erickson, published newsletters, pamphlets, and books.