Griffin Rae Birdsong is an American poet, writer, and performer whose life and work are deeply intertwined with themes of identity, resilience, and the pursuit of self-expression. Born in Idaho Falls and now living in Boise, she has carved out a space for herself within Idaho’s vibrant artistic community, which embraced her as she began her journey as a fledgling performance poet. Her talent and dedication quickly brought her recognition, earning her a place on Idaho’s 2015 National Poetry Slam Team and a role as an official blogger and contributor to the Death Rattle Writer’s Festival. These achievements marked the beginning of a career that reflects not only her literary skills but also her ability to use art as a tool for change and connection. In 2016, Griffin Rae published her autobiographical book A Pansexual Adventure Through Time: A Transition Autobiography, a bold and intimate exploration of her transition told through poetry and narrative. The book stands as a testament to her belief that transgender literature is, at its core, human literature, carrying universal experiences of self-discovery and transformation that can resonate with anyone seeking to understand themselves more fully. By weaving personal history with creative expression, she invites readers to witness the complexities of transition not as a distant subject but as a relatable and deeply human story.
As a poet, Griffin Rae embraces openness and vulnerability, recognizing the power of visibility in a world where transgender voices are often misrepresented or silenced. Rather than blending in, she has chosen to speak out and make her presence felt, using her writing and performances to challenge stereotypes and affirm the experiences of trans women. She has reflected often on the challenges women face in the arts, particularly in conservative environments, where simply existing as a woman and an artist can be perceived as an act of rebellion. For Griffin Rae, this so-called rebellion is a source of strength, one that fuels her poetry and amplifies her voice. Beyond her literary and performance work, Griffin Rae’s story is also one of personal courage. Coming out as transgender in her early twenties, she faced fears of rejection and despair, but found unexpected support from her family, particularly her father. Inspired by trans role models like musician Laura Jane Grace, she embraced her identity and began to build a life that reflected her authentic self. Through her journey, she has come to believe that even in the face of discrimination and misunderstanding, simply existing openly as a trans woman is a revolutionary act.
Today, Griffin Rae continues to write, perform, and dream of expanding her work into counseling, hoping to guide and support others on their own journeys. She remains active in Idaho’s creative circles, lending her voice to the Death Rattle Writer’s Festival and sharing her poetry wherever she can. Her presence in literature and performance reminds us of the power of art to bridge differences, inspire resilience, and illuminate the beauty of authenticity. With her passion, candor, and rebellious spirit, Griffin Rae Birdsong has become not only a writer and poet, but also a source of encouragement for trans women and anyone who has ever struggled to find their place in the world.
Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Griffin Rae Birdsong, an American poet, writer, official blogger, and contributor to the Death Rattle Writer's Festival, as well as a member of Idaho's 2015 National Poetry Slam Team. She is the author of the biographical book A Pansexual Adventure Through Time: A Transition Autobiography (2016). Hello Griffin Rae!
Griffin Rae: Howdy! And thank you so much for interviewing me! I feel so special!
Monika: How would you introduce yourself to my readers?
Griffin Rae: Oh, I’m just your average 26-year-old trans woman looking for a purpose in life. I’m a chronically unemployed college dropout. I was born in Idaho Falls, Idaho and I currently live in Boise, Idaho. Lucky for me there is an excellent artistic community that has accepted me for who I am and allowed me to flourish as a fledgling performance poet.
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Griffin Rae: Yes and no. On one hand, the transition autobiography genre is a fairly new and emerging trend in literature. On the other hand, I think it’s important to remember that transgender literature is human literature. While trans narratives seem new and exciting to most people, I’m certainly not the first to feel this way and I’m sure that anyone who has ever set out to find themselves could relate.
Monika: From your perspective, what does it mean to be a transgender writer, poet, or artist?
Griffin Rae: Well, for those who do not know, transgender people are people who do not self-identify with the gender that they were assigned at birth. To be a trans woman is to be a particular, albeit rare, variety of woman.
I think that to be a trans poet is to be open and transparent about this. Trans people often do not like to be perceived as trans and try to blend in. When you’re a trans poet you forego this option and not only allow yourself to be seen as trans, but you also act as a mouthpiece for the whole trans community. Rather than trying to blend into the woodwork, you try to leave your mark instead.
Monika: Some critics argue that contemporary art still offers limited opportunities for women to showcase their talents and share stories that resonate with female audiences. Do you share this view?
Griffin Rae: I would. It did not take long for me to live as a woman to realize that this is truly a man’s world, especially in Idaho, and that women are just living in it. When you’re a woman and an artist everything that you do is perceived as rebellious in comparison to a male artist. It’s hard to believe, but people are still getting used to it. Of course, if you’re like me, then you don’t mind being perceived as rebellious and you become twice as loud out of spite.
Monika: How do you feel about the way transgender stories and characters have been portrayed in films, books, and the media in general?
Griffin Rae: It is not good. This is a hard question to answer without writing you an entire essay on visibility and representation. Instead, I’ll just say that most of the time in films, newspapers, and books, we don’t actually have a hand in telling our own stories. Men are cast as trans women in movies because the mainstream media still doesn’t know the difference. Artists will co-opt our stories in an often well-intentioned but clumsy attempt to seem sympathetic or edgy. And at the end of the day, if trans people have any sort of criticism for how they are portrayed, we are told that we should be happy to have any sort of representation at all, that we are being divisive, that we should be grateful that someone else was benevolent enough to tell our stories all wrong.
Monika: Could you give an example that best illustrates what you mean?
Griffin Rae: I think the best example would be from about two years ago when Arcade Fire released their music video for “We Exist”. What was meant to be a gesture of support for the trans community ended up being a disaster. The main character, a trans woman, was played by Andrew Garfield, it was full of stereotypes, and it was clear that Win Butler thought he was God’s gift to trans people for creating it. My personal hero Laura Jane Grace, the trans frontwoman for Against Me!, famously responded to the video saying, “It's called ‘We Exist’ and there is literally no sign of that existence represented… should have been called ‘They Exist’.”
Monika: What inspired you to turn your personal journey into an autobiography?
Griffin Rae: I wouldn’t be the first one to claim that all writing is autobiographical. When I write, I just try to express my feelings as honestly and directly as possible. When I was just beginning to break into the Boise poetry scene, all the poems I had been writing at the time were about my transition. These were the poems that got me noticed.
Monika: At what point did you realize those poems could grow into a book of their own?
Griffin Rae: When my publisher, H.O. Tanager, and I first sat down to discuss the possibility of a book, I was sitting there reading over the small selection of poems I had brought with me, and I realized that together they were forming a narrative. It was my narrative, so I just called it as it was. Just for the sake of being thorough, I guess I should mention that the book doesn’t come out until this summer.
Monika: What lessons from your own journey do you hope will be meaningful or helpful to other trans women?
Griffin Rae: The central metaphor in my book compares transition to puberty. Many of us feel like the time we spent pre-transition was wasted, and many of us feel that we were deprived of our childhoods in this way. What I hope trans women take from my book is that it’s OK to want to relive these moments on your own terms. It’s OK to feel 16 when you’re actually 26. It’s OK to do silly, irrational things if that’s what it takes for you to finally feel OK for the first time in your life.
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Monika: When did you first come to understand that you were transgender, and how did the early stages of your transition unfold?
Griffin Rae: I didn’t realize I was trans until I was about 22. I didn’t actually come out to anyone until I was 23 and wasn’t able to start hormone replacement therapy until I was 24. In those early years, I thought for sure that no one would support me. I thought heavily about suicide to the point where I felt as good as dead.
Monika: What happened once you finally shared your truth with the people closest to you?
Griffin Rae: The magic thing about feeling as good as dead though is that you stop feeling afraid of the ways that your life could go wrong. I told my friends and family and was pleasantly surprised that they were happy for me. My dad in particular has been incredibly supportive and I’m not sure where I would be without him.
Monika: During the early stages of your transition, were there any transgender role models who inspired or guided you?
Griffin Rae: I know I mentioned her already, but Laura Jane Grace came out as trans literally within a week of when I first realized I was trans. It was extra amazing because she was my favorite songwriter and had been for some time. It felt almost like a sign from God.
Monika: Looking back, what was the most difficult part of your coming out journey?
Griffin Rae: The hardest thing was trying to get people to understand. Almost everyone in my life was supportive because they loved me and wanted me to be happy, but very few of them knew the correct way to support me. I’ve had screaming matches with some of my best friends over why pronouns are important. I’ve devoted hours to explain to people that I’m not a drag queen.
Monika: How would you describe the current situation for transgender women in American society?
Griffin Rae: In some ways it’s getting better. More and more people are becoming familiar with the idea of what a trans person is. It’s safe to say that there has never been a better time to be trans in America.
Monika: Despite these improvements, what challenges and dangers do trans women still face today?
Griffin Rae: But still, things are pretty dire. Several trans women are violently murdered each year, especially trans women of color, who have a 1 in 12 chance of being murdered. Very few legal protections and policies exist for trans people. In addition, new problematic legislation is constantly being brought to the table by lawmakers who don’t understand us. I’ve been discriminated against and even fired for being trans. Unless I feel like wearing a sports bra to work every day, that’s just the sad reality of being trans in America.
Monika: The transgender community is often grouped together with the broader LGBT movement. Do you feel that trans people, especially trans women, have enough space to promote their own issues within this larger framework?
Griffin Rae: Yes and no. Half the time even queer people simply assume I’m just really super gay, which is of course not true. And it’s generally these same people who use the term “LGBT” interchangeably with “gay”. I said it once already, it’s a man’s world. Naturally, gay men get all the spotlight while trans people, especially trans women, are largely forgotten about.
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Monika: Are there any figures in the American transgender community whose activism could be compared to what Harvey Milk accomplished for gay rights in the United States during the 1960s and 70s?
Griffin Rae: Unfortunately, no one that I’m aware of. We just haven’t reached that level of acceptance and representation yet. Trans activism is still a new idea to most people.
Monika: Do you personally engage in political activities or lobbying, and do you believe transgender women can make a real difference in politics?
Griffin Rae: I most definitely believe that trans women can make a difference in politics. I myself am not wildly political in a traditional sense. I try to effect change through my poetry and by performing every chance I get. In a culture that is largely indifferent, if not hateful, of trans women, I tend to be of the persuasion that simply having the courage to be yourself is a revolutionary act.
Monika: How important is love in your life, and how has your understanding of it changed through your transition?
Griffin Rae: If you read my book you’ll find that both love and sex are things that I can never seem to shut up about. I’m a romantic at heart. Always have been. I’ve always needed more love than the average person. But I think love is especially important to me at this juncture of my life because every time I fell in love pre-transition it was always tainted by the fact that I couldn’t love myself. It wasn’t actually me. I was a shell of myself. In a way, it feels almost as if I was born just two years ago and that all the love I had before then didn’t count, because I didn’t really exist.
Monika: Do you enjoy fashion, and how would you describe your personal style? Are there any particular outfits, colors, or trends that you are drawn to?
Griffin Rae: I can’t say I’m huge on fashion, I kinda just wear whatever I think looks good. Most of the time I give off a slightly punky vibe, which generally necessitates not caring about your appearance to a certain extent. I hardly ever leave my house without my leather jacket. That said, I do like to feel pretty and feminine. I think I love dresses more than the average girl, I can spend hours primping, and I’ve been told that I’m pretty good at makeup in spite of the fact that I have no idea what the hell I’m doing. Mostly though, I’m a firm believer that sexiness is an inner thing.
Monika: What are your next steps at this point in your life, and where do you see yourself in the next five to seven years?
Griffin Rae: The idea at this point is to go to school and eventually go into counseling. Other than that though, I’m really not sure. It’s fairly evident that I need to get out of Idaho and head someplace a little more progressive, but for the time being, I want to stay here and continue doing the whole writing thing. My good friends Diana Forgione and Dig Reeder have recently founded their own writer’s festival, “The Death Rattle Writer’s Festival,” located in Nampa, Idaho, and I’d like to be a part of that for as long as possible.
Monika: What advice would you give to transgender girls who are struggling with gender dysphoria and feelings of self-doubt?
Griffin Rae: To all the trans girls out there, I just want to say that I know it’s hard. I know you might be living with more than your fair share of self-loathing or regret. I know firsthand how difficult that can be, but it’s worth mentioning that it’s good to have feelings. It’s worth mentioning that, even if those feelings are painful, they’re powerful too. It might take a long time for you to understand just how, but you can use that power.
Monika: How can you channel that power in a way that helps you cope and grow?
Griffin Rae: You can use it on whatever you want, but I would recommend using it on yourself. The next time you hate yourself, do some cardio, practice winging your eyeliner, take a selfie, write a sad poem and see if it doesn’t end up being at least a little bit beautiful. You have nothing to lose. If worse comes to worst, you can lock yourself inside and sleep until you feel better. If worst comes to even worse, I hope you look me up. I’ll be happy to tell you what I tell myself. All you can do is be brave, so be brave.
Monika: Griffin Rae, thank you for the interview!
All the photos: courtesy of Griffin Rae Birdsong.
© 2016 - Monika Kowalska
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