COMIC: What is T4T love?
Have you heard of T4T bonds? We explore them through the stories of a group of trans and non-binary friends, and we tell them in this comic.
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What does T4T? You've probably read this acronym or seen it as a hashtag to find meet-up places on apps. But T4T also refers to friendships.
T4T is an acronym that comes from English: trans for trans. The 4 replaces “for” because of its phonetic similarity. The acronym describes a romantic, erotic, or affective relationship between trans people, with the awareness of sharing an experience shaped by gender identity.
It's important to clarify: it's not simply about "both people being trans." Nor is it about everyone in the relationship being trans, but rather about an implicit mutual recognition, an affinity, and often a political or emotional complicity that breaks with cisgender norms. For many, T4T love means being able to connect without having to constantly explain, translate, or justify their identity.
The expression can be interpreted as a gesture of resistance. It challenges the cisnormative idea that trans people must seek validation through cis desire. T4T love is both an intimate experience and a stance toward love and desire.
Trans and non-binary friends: T4T loves
Gatía, Citré, Isaac, and Poni are young trans and non-binary people living in Mexico. They are friends and told us how they built a bond: T4T love. It's not something that arises by chance. It's more like a conscious choice to care for each other, reflect each other's experiences, and support one another in moments of vulnerability.
At Presentes, we spoke with them and turned that conversation into a comic. The protagonists are four trans people who experience their friendship as a place where loneliness is comforted, the body feels safe, and collective imagination allows them to create their own worlds.
Their stories intertwine grief, migration, emotional healing, and a shared sensitivity they identify as T4T. For them, love isn't limited to romantic relationships. It thrives on imagination, listening, and everyday warmth. The result: choosing and supporting each other every day.
Swipe to see the comic
Juntes Narramos is a project by Malvestida, Volcánicas, GirlUp, Balance and Presentes to strengthen and amplify the voices of young people through narratives of diversity.
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