As the founder and curator of Trans Women’s Arts Toronto (TWAT/fest), the first festival of its kind in Canada, Morgan has created a sanctuary for trans women’s voices to bloom and be heard. Her dream is not merely to be included in existing spaces, but to reshape them entirely, to make art galleries, bookstores, lecture halls, and stages places where trans women’s creativity is not the exception, but the expectation. In conversation, she is luminous: thoughtful, direct, and unsparing in her belief that we must do more, dream bolder, and never settle for scraps of representation. Whether writing essays or building characters in her upcoming novel, Morgan insists on a world where trans women are not just subjects of stories but authors of them, fierce, funny, flawed, and full of life. It is my profound pleasure and honor to share this interview with a woman who doesn’t just make history, she archives it, critiques it, mourns its failures, and then dances defiantly in its margins. Meet Morgan M Page: a witness, a maker, a warrior in eyeliner.
Monika: Today, I have the deep pleasure and honor of welcoming Morgan M Page, a Canadian transfeminist visionary whose impact spans continents and mediums. Morgan is an activist, artist, filmmaker, writer, and founder of Trans Women’s Arts Toronto, a groundbreaking festival and collective platform that has amplified trans women’s voices in the arts across Canada and beyond. Her work has been recognized with multiple honors, including two SF MOTHA Awards and the LGBT Youthline’s Outstanding Contribution to Community Empowerment Award. Her performance and video art have illuminated galleries and festivals across the globe, from Seoul’s NEMAF New Media Arts Festival to Melbourne’s Adelaide Street Gallery. Morgan, thank you so much for being here, it's an honor to speak with you.
Morgan: Hey there, Monika, thank you! It’s such a joy to be in conversation with you, especially knowing the vital work you’ve done to uplift our community through storytelling and advocacy. You’re not just interviewing trans women, you’re archiving our brilliance, our struggles, and our triumphs with care, humor, and fierce integrity. That kind of labor is sacred. I’ve watched how your interviews have created space for nuance, for contradiction, for joy. Honestly, it’s a rare gift. So, I’m thrilled to be here with you. Let’s dive in.
Monika: Your work spans so many creative and activist realms, from performance and video art to community organizing and spiritual practice. For readers who might be discovering you for the first time, how would you introduce yourself in your own words?
Morgan: Sure. I’m a performance and video artist, activist, writer, and Santera based in Toronto. I’ve been an activist for sex workers’ rights for about eight years now. I travel throughout Canada and the United States, lecturing and performing, and my video art has been screened in Canada, Hong Kong, and South Korea. I strive to create work that uplifts marginalized voices while challenging dominant narratives through art and action.
Monika: You've long identified with the term transfeminist, a word that carries both weight and complexity. In your view, what are the foundational values of transfeminism, and how does it shape your approach to activism and art?
Morgan: To me, transfeminism is a political movement centered on the equitable treatment of all people. It means looking at things intersectionally, that people experience both privilege and oppression on multiple fronts, such as race, class, and gender, and that these issues must be addressed collectively. I think, for me, transfeminism centres the experiences of trans people, particularly trans women. So, issues that affect us, such as access to health care, the criminalization of sex work and HIV non-disclosure, racism, treatment of prisoners, and immigration policy, are at the forefront of all discussions. It’s also about building coalitions across movements and ensuring that no one is left behind in the fight for justice.
Monika: As a curator and artist deeply embedded in the cultural sphere, how do you view the visibility and evolution of transgender art today? Are we witnessing a genuine shift in how trans creativity is recognized, or is it still fighting for space within mainstream narratives?
Morgan: I hope so! That’s my dream. Of course, trans people have been making art for a very long time, and over the years a few of us have received significant recognition for our artistic output. I’m thinking here of Greer Lankton, in particular, whose work showed in the Whitney Biennial in the mid-90s, shortly before her death. I’m really excited to see more and more trans people’s art being shown, and I think a lot of it has to do with the tools for organizing and promotion that we have access to thanks to the Internet.
Now anyone can start a Tumblr account, post their art, and get hundreds of people exposed to their work. I’m really hoping that we can keep pushing that to the next level. I want to see trans people’s art in every major art gallery. I want to see it on TV, and in the cinema. I want trans people’s fiction and poetry to line the shelves of bookstores. We deserve not only to be seen but to thrive artistically on our own terms, with full creative autonomy and celebration.
Monika: As the founder and curator of Trans Women’s Arts Toronto, the first festival dedicated solely to trans women’s art, what inspired you to create this platform? Could you share how it came together and highlight some of the artists who have been part of it?
Morgan: Sure. So, TWAT/fest was an idea I had when I was submitting my own work to a lot of shows. I thought, “Why aren’t there any trans-specific art shows for me to get my work into?” And I remembered that there was this really inspiring art show that ran here in Toronto for five years in the late ’90s and early 2000s called Counting Past 2, which my personal role model, Mirha-Soleil Ross, had organized. So I put together a call for submissions and started soliciting work from trans women artists. We had about ten artists in the show, including Mirha-Soleil Ross, Kiley May, Isz Janeway, and Morgan Sea. And the event was packed! We almost sold out the venue, we were only ten tickets short. It was incredible. I honestly didn’t even think ten people would show up for it!
Monika: That sounds amazing! What direction has the project taken since that first successful event?
Morgan: Now it’s become this ongoing project where I’m traveling around, lecturing about trans women’s art, and pulling together panels of trans women to talk about their artistic work. I focus primarily on video and performance art, along with some photography and sculpture, but that’s just because that’s the stuff that excites me the most. It’s been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life to build a space where our creativity is centered, celebrated, and taken seriously on its own terms.
Monika: You began your artistic journey through performance and curation, but in 2012 you took a new turn and stepped behind the camera. What motivated you to explore filmmaking, and how has it shaped your creative expression?
Morgan: Yeah! Well, films is a generous way of describing them. I’ve made several short video pieces. It started when I applied to be part of the Queer Video Mentorship Project at the Inside Out Festival, where they take eight queer and trans people and teach them to make videos. So I made a video there, and it went on to screen in Asia, along with another video I made called RIGHT BACK THERE. My work is a lot about grief, mourning, trauma. So, you know, light topics! I’ve also started incorporating video projections into my performance art, which is exciting but a lot of work. Recently, I’ve been experimenting with layering sound and archival footage to push my storytelling even further.
Monika: In your view, how does being transgender shape the voice and vision of a writer, poet, or artist? Do you feel that your trans experience brings particular themes or urgency to your creative work?
Morgan: That’s such a big question! I think I have some narrative and stylistic concerns that are specific to being trans. My work often deals with the body as a site of political conflict, such as in my SAY IT TO MY FACE performance where people yell transphobic slurs at my body for an hour. It’s a way of transforming trauma into something public and confrontational, something that demands reflection.
Monika: Many critics argue that contemporary art spaces still offer limited opportunities for women to showcase their talents and share stories that resonate deeply with female audiences. Do you see this as an ongoing problem, and how does it affect trans and women artists?
Morgan: Absolutely. Women’s art is underfunded and undershown. Many art galleries get by without showing any women in their collections. It’s terrible. And trans art is shown almost nowhere on top of that. The situation is similar for artists of colour as well. And I think that’s why we need to create our own spaces. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely want to be shown in major art shows, but I think there’s value in producing our own work and creating spaces we control to show it. This self-determination is vital, it allows us to tell our own stories on our own terms and challenge the norms that exclude us.
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| Photo by Tania Anderson. |
Monika: How do you assess the way transgender stories and characters have been portrayed in films, newspapers, and books up to now? Are there signs of meaningful progress?
Morgan: Dismal, mostly. I’m excited about the future, though. I think Imogen Binnie’s novel Nevada (Topside Press, 2013) has changed the landscape in literature about trans people. And Laverne Cox’s performance on Orange Is the New Black is transforming the narratives about trans people on television in a major way. We need to keep going in this direction! We need to demand better representation, and we need to start telling the stories we want told instead of the stories they want to hear. The power to reshape cultural narratives lies in our hands, and it’s crucial we wield it boldly and unapologetically.
Monika: When you were beginning your transition, did you have any transgender role models to look up to or inspire you? How did their presence, or absence, shape your journey?
Morgan: Not really. I was very young, like 15 or 16, and this was in the early 2000s. We didn’t have trans characters on TV or anything like that. It was a few years before I even really met another trans person I could look up to. I often call this the “problem of images,” because there just weren’t any images for me to see of myself in culture, so I thought that I couldn’t do anything. I thought I couldn’t be an artist because I didn’t see artists who were trans. It wasn’t until, really, I saw Mirha-Soleil Ross’ work that I realized I could do whatever I want. She changed my life. Her courage and creativity showed me that trans artists have an essential place in the world, and that gave me the strength to claim mine.
Monika: What was the most difficult part of your coming out journey? Was it the moment itself, or the struggles leading up to it?
Morgan: Everything before it. When I came out, everyone already thought I had come out before. I wasn’t fooling anyone. It was a glass closet. But anyways, before I came out I was bullied intensely and had to drop out of school. I was addicted to amphetamines. Then I realized that I was trans, dropped the drugs, and things started to get a little easier to deal with in life. Coming to that realization was like finding a lifeline, it gave me the clarity and strength to begin healing and reclaiming my life.
Monika: How would you describe the current situation for transgender women in Canadian society? What progress has been made, and what challenges remain?
Morgan: I think we face significant legal and social barriers that affect our ability to gain employment, housing, access to healthcare, and other essential services. Things have changed significantly over the past ten or so years since I’ve transitioned, which is awesome, but we still have a long way to go! We need to keep pushing for the decriminalization of sex work and HIV non-disclosure laws, as well as for fairer immigration policies. Access to healthcare remains a critical issue, especially the need for more surgery assessor sites and for breast augmentation to be covered by provincial health care. Our community’s resilience and activism continue to drive these necessary changes forward, and I remain hopeful that sustained efforts will lead to true equity and respect.
Monika: Your advocacy spans a wide range, from supporting trans youth and adults to championing the rights of trans sex workers. What drives your commitment to these different communities, and how do you balance it all?
Monika: Your advocacy spans a wide range, from supporting trans youth and adults to championing the rights of trans sex workers. What drives your commitment to these different communities, and how do you balance it all?
Morgan: A lot of that is through my job at a local LGBT centre, although I’ve been involved in a lot of advocacy around trans sex workers for nearly a decade now outside of that. It’s very intense but rewarding work. It’s taught me so much about community, resilience, and the power of grassroots organizing.
Monika: Do you think the fight for transgender rights represents one of today’s most urgent civil rights movements? In what ways do you see it reshaping broader conversations about justice and equity?
Morgan: I shy away from the human rights framework a little bit, and instead focus on the bigger issues of the law such as decriminalization, prison policy, immigration policy, etc. But I do think trans rights are an issue that’s more on the map these days than it’s ever been before in North America, and that’s pretty cool. There’s definitely more visibility now, which creates more opportunities for change, if we’re ready to act on them.
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| "SPINLAW IKB" (YouTube) |
Monika: In what ways do you engage with politics, whether through activism, advocacy, or campaigning? Do you believe transgender women have the potential to shape political discourse and drive systemic change?
Morgan: I would consider myself very active in politics, mostly on the grassroots level, although I’ve been marginally involved in municipal, provincial, federal, and international political efforts, especially around the decriminalization of sex work and HIV non-disclosure. I think trans women can make a huge impact, and would love to see more of us out there making change! Even when we're not in elected positions, our presence in political movements can shift conversations and priorities in powerful ways.
Monika: How would you describe the role love plays in your life, both personally and creatively? Has your understanding of love evolved over time through your experiences and relationships?
Morgan: That’s an intense question! Love is very important to me, and often elusive. I think love for people is what informs my political and artistic work. I feel moved by the people around me, and so I can’t help but work in solidarity with them. Love isn’t just a personal feeling, it’s a political force that guides the way I engage with the world and imagine a better future.
Monika: How does fashion influence your self-expression and creative identity? Are there any particular styles or aesthetics that resonate with you on a deeper level?
Morgan: I’m very interested in fashion! I used to be a makeup artist, and at one time wanted to be a fashion designer. My favourite designers are Gareth Pugh and Alexander McQueen. I’m into that high fashion thing, and I try sometimes to bring that into my performance work. If only I had the cash to buy all the clothes I want! Fashion, for me, is another kind of language, a way of telling stories through texture, silhouette, and imagination.
Monika: Beauty pageants, especially those created for transgender women, can be controversial and complex. Do you see them as empowering, limiting, or something else entirely?
Morgan: I’m not really interested in them. I mean, that’s great if people are, but it’s not my thing. For me, beauty and worth aren’t things that can, or should, be ranked or judged on a stage.
Monika: Many trans women have shared their stories through memoirs, often as a way to claim space in a world that rarely listens. Do you feel drawn to that genre, or do you prefer to explore your experiences through other forms of writing?
Morgan: I do write creative non-fiction pieces from time to time, and I would like to do a collection of them, but I’m not invested in the celebrity autobiography form of the transsexual memoir. I think it’s been all we’ve been allowed to write for decades, and that we can and should be able to move past that. I’m working on my first novel right now, which I hope will be out later this year. My novel definitely has some themes that resonate with my own life, but it’s not a memoir by any stretch of the imagination. Fiction gives me the freedom to explore emotional truths without having to explain or justify my identity.
Monika: What creative endeavors are currently capturing your attention? Are there any upcoming projects, literary, visual, or performance-based, that you’re especially excited about?
Morgan: As I said, I’m finishing work on my first novel right now. It’s very exciting, and also driving me up the wall a little. And I’ve got a lot of performances coming up soon. I’m hoping to make a few video pieces this year, as well. People can find out more information about my work at odofemi.tumblr.com and on Twitter. Balancing multiple creative outlets at once can be chaotic, but it keeps me feeling energized and inspired.
Monika: Morgan, thank you for the interview!
Main photo credits to Boy Pussy.
All the photos: courtesy of Morgan M Page.
© 2014 - Monika Kowalska
