: On community forums like Reddit's r/asktransgender , users often cite personal essays that describe the "utter delight" of gender-affirming moments, such as seeing one's true self in a mirror for the first time.
by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie : A significant, though more contentious, reflection on the public discourse surrounding trans identity and social media "cancel culture". Delighting in Ross Gay, One Essay at a Time | Nicole Rudick ladyboy delight
by Alexander Chee: This collection is frequently recommended for its "wisdom and nuance" regarding the queer life and the act of using writing as a portal to one's true self. : On community forums like Reddit's r/asktransgender ,
by Ross Gay: While not exclusively about trans identity, this collection of "essayettes" is the primary source for the modern literary focus on "delight". Gay explores how noticing small joys can be a radical act of resilience for marginalized bodies. by Ross Gay: While not exclusively about trans
If you are looking for insightful essays that explore the "delight" or joy of being transgender or gender non-conforming, the following resources are considered foundational and "useful" in modern literature: Key Essays and Collections on Trans Joy
MODELLER (copyright © 1989-2026 Andrej Sali) is
maintained by Ben Webb
at the Departments of Biopharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmaceutical Chemistry,
and California Institute for Quantitative Biomedical Research, Mission Bay
Byers Hall, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco,
CA 94143, USA.
Any selling or distribution of the program or its parts, original or modified,
is prohibited without a written permission from Andrej Sali.
This file last modified: Thu Jan 29 12:28:54 PST 2026.