November Project is a community where everyone is invited to #JustShowUp and Come As You Are – something we value so much, it’s our first Community Agreement. Today, on International Transgender Day of Visibility, we are excited to celebrate some of our transgender Co-leaders and community members.
Danny (they/them), is an international trans Co-leader who brings their group together in Winnipeg for more than just burpees. Danny approaches leadership with a quiet mindfulness and a softness in addition to their fun and silliness.
- Name
Danny Epp
- Pronouns
they/them
- NP City you lead in
Winnipeg
- What words do you use to describe your full identity/all your identities
Demidude, demimale, non-binary
- Who are some of the transgender athletes in the world of running/sport that you look up to?
Quinn, trans & non-binary Canadian soccer player
- When did you first #JustShowUp to NP? How did you come across NP? What is it that you were looking for in a fitness group? How did NP provide that? What was an “extra” that NP has that you found value in?
May 2019. My good friend Sarah, who lived on my street at the time, invited me. I was drawn in by the warm, friendly people and found acceptance and space to come as I am. I fondly remember one time during a workout when I told someone I live with significant mental health issues. They put their arm around me and were silently present with me for a few moments. That show of support and empathy left a huge impression on me.
- What apprehensions did you have as you considered coming for the first time? What was your first impression? Why did you keep showing up?
I don’t recall feeling apprehensive. I remember thinking this group was whacky and weird, and it was alluring to me. I remember that it was at NP that I tried on new pronouns (he/they), and I remember the ease and comfort I had in being courageous and open in that way.
- What does it mean to you to be a transgender Co-leader? What does it mean to your community? What does it mean to our global community?
As a non-binary person, I still feel like a fraud and an imposter so much of the time. That largely has to do with the way our culture emphasizes and reinforces strict and rigid binary standards. I’m proud to be finding my way through it, and am grateful for the welcoming and encouraging space NP provides me to be who I am.
- How does being trans influence your leadership? What was it like to be trans in your community before you stepped into leadership? Did you transition while you were coming to NP? If so, what was that like?
I only came out about a year and a half ago (actually, just before I became a co-leader with NP Winnipeg), and am still exploring and trying on what being queer means to me. My presentation is very masculine, and so I understand that I will be misgendered by many people until they know my pronouns are they/them. I think being in a leadership role has encouraged me to be thoughtful about the ways in which people may be showing up to workouts, knowing that we all carry our invisible burdens, flaws, anxieties, and the like. I try to lead with authenticity, vulnerability, and humility, and I believe that my members are grateful for who I am and how I show up.
- Did you have any apprehensions to lead this group? Did you experience imposter syndrome when you were asked to lead?
I am a social introvert, and live with significant depression and grief. I still often feel awkward and get in my head as a leader. There’s a lot of negative thinking that I need to continually accept and transform, and it takes a lot of love and patience to do that. But life continually presents me with amazing opportunities, humbling lessons and beautiful people who remind me over and over again that I am loved and loveable, that I am strong, and that I am a fucking rad demidude.
- How do you celebrate International Transgender Day of Visibility? How can others celebrate you or celebrate with you this day? How can we celebrate you all year long?
I like to champion what it means to be queer and gender friendly by sharing and elevating queer and trans voices on social media.
The biggest way people can celebrate me is to honour my choice that my pronouns are they, them and theirs. I am a non-binary demidude, meaning I identify heavily with being male, just not wholly. I am both male and agender. I don’t want to have to apologize or explain who I am and/or my choice of pronouns. Believe me, there’s enough questioning and inadequacy going on in my own complicated inner world as it is.
I want people to celebrate me by affirming my worth and my right to be exactly who I am, however I am.
- What else do you want people reading this to know?
I love you.
Share via socials:
