Canadian Nonprofit Releases 'Cooking With Trans People of Colour' Cookbook

Toronto-based nonprofit, The 519, just released a new cookbook by its Trans People of Colour Project (TPOC).

The three-year project, funded by the Toronto Urban Health Fund, aims to foster support, greater access to food security, and access to sexual health information for racialized trans folks.

In addition to recipes, the book also offers insights on eating on a budget, hormones and healthy eating for the trans community, and additional resources for sexual health.

According to Angel Glady, one of the book's contributors, the idea came to the group organically. "Initially, TPOC decided to cook for and cook with trans people. We wanted to share our cooking techniques and our cultural dishes," Gladly told Chatelaine. "Then, slowly, we decided each week one person would take the lead and cook their own country's food. Then, we thought: 'why don't we write a cookbook... we can add our own recipes?"

Gladly is originally from India and lived in Canada since 2017. A friend introduced her to The 519, which quickly became part of her support system... she decided to volunteer.

"Most trans women are abandoned and thrown out of their families. When I'm cooking for trans people, it's making them feel like they have a family. It's giving them hope that even though they're not talking to their blood-related family, they have a chosen family," says Glady. "The kitchen is one of the places where you can share your experiences and talk about how you're coping with a situation. It's giving them hope that they're not alone in this life."