T4T: What It Means for Trans and Non-Binary People
Illustration by Auston Bjorkman
T4T: Celebrating the Power of Trans 4 Trans Connections
There’s something special about a community that shows up for each other. That’s T4T, or Trans 4 Trans. It started as a simple Craigslist dating code, and over the last few years it’s grown into something much bigger. What began as a way for trans folks to find dates is now a whole movement of trans people backing each other up in every part of life.
From Craigslist to Community
Our founder, Auston Bjorkman, saw early on that a little code on Craigslist could spark something big. T4T stood for Trans 4 Trans, shorthand trans people used when they were looking to date other trans people. Auston was one of the first people (if not the first) to use T4T in a bigger way and help that meaning catch on. It went from a dating label to a way of saying we stand with each other and look out for each other.
Today, T4T means trans folks supporting trans folks. In dating, sure, but also in friendships, mentorships, and every kind of relationship in between. It’s about finding your people, the ones who get the hard parts and the good parts because they’ve lived them too. Listening, giving advice, or just showing up: T4T has become one of the ways our community holds itself together.
Building Bonds Beyond Boundaries
One of the best things about T4T is how far it reaches. It’s about more than finding a partner. It’s about building a circle of people you can trust. T4T is where trans people find mentors who know what transition is really like, friends who’ve been there, and people who have their backs. The world can feel lonely sometimes. T4T is a reminder that there’s always a community ready to welcome you in.
Think about how good it feels to find someone who just gets it. Someone you don’t have to explain the little things to, because they’ve been there too. That’s the heart of T4T: shared experience, and all the stuff that goes without saying. It’s a space where trans folks can be themselves without judgment, and laugh, cry, and grow together.
A New Kind of Love
T4T goes past friendship or romance. It changes what love and support can look like. It’s trans people doing well together, lifting each other up and cheering each other on. Passing along a resource, being a shoulder to lean on, or just being a friend: it all counts, and it all reminds us we’re stronger together.
When the world feels divided, T4T shows what a community can build when it sticks together. It’s love in all its forms: romantic, platonic, and everything in between. It’s finding your people and knowing that, no matter what, you’ve got each other’s backs.
So here’s to T4T. It started as a dating code and grew into something that does a whole lot of good. Looking for a partner, a friend, or just a community that gets you? T4T is a reminder that you’re never alone. Together, we can make a world where everyone gets to be exactly who they are. Now that’s worth celebrating!