Digital Transgender Archive

Phoenix Danger Oral History

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Phoenix Danger was active in the successful unionization campaign at Babeland, a NYC sex toy shop. In this interview, they recount their early life in suburban New York as the child of Filipino immigrants, facing social rejection in school and discovering an affirming online queer community. They relate their struggles in an abusive relationship during college, and their journey from estrangement to re-connection with their parents. Phoenix also chronicles the evolution of their non-binary trans identity, influenced by their relationships with various queer and trans communities as well as their own political engagement. They trace the steps of this political development, from their initial exposure to organizing as a college student through their participation in the campaign to establish a union at Babeland in New York City. They describe the worker grievances at Babeland, the process of building support for a union, the personal and community relationships that sustained their organizing, and worker solidarity efforts within the broader labor movement. (Summary by Justine Ambrose.)

Item Information:

Identifier
5d86p052v
Collection
Oral Histories with People of Color
Institution
NYC Trans Oral History Project
Creator(s)
O'Brien, Michelle Esther
Danger, Phoenix
Contributor(s)
Ambrose, Justine
Publisher
New York Public Library
Date Created
Apr. 24, 2017
Dates Covered
1990 to 2017
Genre
Oral Histories
Subject(s)
Babeland
Phoenix Danger
Places
New York
California
Washington, D.C. > Washington County > Washington
Florida > Miami-Dade County > Miami
Texas > Travis County > Austin
Topic(s)
Childhood
Clothing
Coming out
Demonstrations
Employment discrimination
Ethnic groups
Families
Gay-straight alliances
Gender diversity
Gender identity
Gender realignment surgery
Harassment
Immigration
Labour
LGBTQ+ relationships
Multiculturalism
Politics
Racism
Substance abuse
Trade unions
Transgender community
Transphobia
Resource Type
Audio
Digital Format
duration 1 hour 43 minutes 20 seconds
Language
English
Rights
Copyright undetermined
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