Toronto-based journalist Niko Stratis is preparing to release her debut book. Now, she has announced a book tour in support of The Dad Rock That Made Me a Woman and shared a statement about touring the US despite the country's refusal to recognize trans identities.
The Dad Rock That Made Me a Woman is out May 5 through the University of Texas Press's American Music Series. A few days after that, she will kick off her tour with a Toronto appearance at Another Story Bookshop in conversation with Elamin Abdelmahmoud. From there, Stratis will travel to seven US cities in May and June and make one virtual appearance.
Stratis wrote on Instagram, "There's not going to be a good time to say 'I'm coming to America' right now, but I am, and I'm really looking forward to having this opportunity to visit cities I've never seen, chat with people about dad rock, sit down with some lovely people who I greatly love and admire. There's never going to be a perfect time to be a trans woman from Canada crossing the border to talk about her book on dad rock, death and labour and transition amongst other things. I have been sitting in fear about doing this, and all I can do is see where fear takes me."
She continued, "This is all to say that I've stressed about this more than you can imagine, I've made phone calls and written emails and asked and read all about it. I am doing this safely, and keeping an eye on the situation for any changing winds but for now I am choosing to do the only thing I can do, I can go and talk with people and hopefully feel a little less alone and a little less afraid."
She added that there will be more dates, including ones in Canada. Although it's not listed on her tour schedule, she has already been confirmed for a reading at Sackville, NB's Sappyfest in August.
The Dad Rock That Made Me a Woman is a collection of essays about growing up in the Yukon as a closeted trans woman and "an unlikely lifeline amid dad rock's emotionally open and honest music." It discusses artists including Wilco, the National, Michael Stipe, Radiohead, Bruce Springsteen, Neko Case and Sharon Van Etten.
The book is available to pre-order here.
Last week, Bells Larsen cancelled a US tour because the country wouldn't recognize his gender. "I received an email on Tuesday from the American Federation of Musicians stating that I am no longer able to apply for a visa because US Immigration now only recognizes identification that corresponds with one's assigned sex at birth," he shared. "To put it super plainly, because I'm trans (and have an M on my passport), I can't tour in the States."