Original Plumbing - by Amos Mac & Rocco Kayiatos (Paperback)

About the Book

A dynamic celebration of trans male culture, this essential collection makes visible a decade of FTM and transmasculine experiences.

Book Synopsis

A dynamic celebration of trans male culture, this essential collection makes visible a decade of FTM and transmasculine experiences.

"A decade's worth of unfiltered conversations, radical art, and cultural shifts." --Them.

Independently published from 2009 to 2019, Original Plumbing grew from a Bay Area zine to a nationally acclaimed print quarterly dedicated to trans men. For nearly ten years, the magazine was the premier resource focused on their experiences, celebrations, and imaginations, featuring writing on both playful and political topics like selfies, bathrooms, and safer sex; interviews with queer icons such as Janet Mock, Silas Howard, and Ian Harvie; and visual art, photography, and short fiction.

In celebration of the magazine's ten-year run, this essential collection compiles the best of all twenty issues. Selections are reprinted in full color, with an introduction by activist Tiq Milan and a new preface by the founding editors.

Review Quotes

"Truly groundbreaking and life-saving work."--Them.

"Filled with so much color, life, and love." --The Booklist Reader

"Over the course of its ten-year run, Original Plumbing made thousands of us queer and trans people laugh, cry, and gasp out loud. This is how we talked with each other, inspired each other, and gave each other the strength to keep on living outside the box. This collection is an invaluable, unapologetic archive of a multiplicity of queer and trans experiences." --Kate Bornstein, author of Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women, and the Rest of Us

"When Original Plumbing burst onto the scene a decade ago, it was an absolute game changer in trans media and representation. Mac and Kayiatos created something revolutionary. This collection is a beautiful tribute to that treasured publication, and an authentic and moving representation of trans male culture. I'll be revisiting its stories and images for years to come. An essential book for both longtime readers and those diving in for the first time." --Jill Soloway, creator of Transparent

"More than merely aesthetically inspiring, Original Plumbing is life-saving. It has been at the forefront of the trans revolution, providing thoughtful, cheeky documentation of the vibrancy of queer lives." --Michelle Tea, author of Against Memoir

"For over a decade, Original Plumbing did the Lord's work of documenting and proliferating the stories of trans men and transmasculine folks. This book is so much more than a retrospective; it is a testament. Rocco and Amos have preserved a brilliant, precious slice of trans history that will be revered and cherished for generations to come." --Jacob Tobia, author of Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story

"A powerful realization of high def and punk rock, Original Plumbing is the kind of book you'll devour in one sitting, immersing yourself in the beauty of each page." --C. Riley Snorton, author of Black on Both Sides: A Racial History of Trans Identity

About the Author

Amos Mac is a writer, artist, and producer based in Los Angeles. His photography has been featured in publications including the New York Times, Interview, Vogue Italia, and OUT. A love of storytelling influenced his leap into television, where he works across scripted and documentary series.

Rocco Kayiatos is a writer, organizer, educator, and former hip hop artist (stage name Katastrophe). He was the head of the video education department at BuzzFeed and continues to produce content in the new media space. He is a man of trans experience who began his transition in 2001.