Jeffrey Marsh and transgender people

Jeffrey Marsh is an American author and media personality. Marsh identifies as nonbinary and is known for positive and affirming videos about self-acceptance.

Background

Jeffrey Earl Marsh was born on July 7, 1977 in York, Pennsylvania. Marsh earned a bachelor’s degree from University of the Arts in 1999. Marsh was then a member of Le Cabaret Mélange in Philadelphia. In 2003 Marsh premiered An Evening with Jeffrey Marsh in Philadelphia.

In 2007, Marsh moved to New York and continued performing at cabarets. Works included a 2010 tribute to performer Julian Eltinge and a 2012 tribute to self-help guru Richard Simmons.

Marsh began a relationship with American art historian Jeffrey “Jeff” Fraiman and shared a website.

Activism

Marsh is well-known for affirming short-form videos on social media, particularly Vine, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.

Marsh is the author of two books:

How to Be You: Stop Trying to Be Someone Else and Start Living Your Life (2016)
Take Your Own Advice: Learn to Trust Your Inner Voice and Start Helping Yourself (2023)

Marsh has worked with youth organization Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network and has contributed to TIME, Oprah.com, and Huffington Post.

Marsh is frequently criticized by social and religious conservatives, some of whom accuse Marsh of encouraging minors to reach out directly if they are in unaccepting homes. Marsh has also advised that in some cases it may be necessary to go “no contact” with unaccepting family members. In 2023 TikToker Shamirun Nessa made videos mocking Marsh, which Nessa says led to harassment. Nessa quickly became a cause célèbre among anti-trans activists, with Julie Bindel, Meghan Murphy, and others writing about the controversy.

Marsh says two things bring peace when faced with hatred. The first is Marsh’s mission in life to “bring forth what needs to be healed” in everyone. The second is a belief that people hate “so they don’t have to face their own pain,” something Marsh knows of from personal experience.

References

Whittington, Lewis (June 5, 2003). Taking the Stage. mycitypaper.com. [archive] https://mycitypaper.com/articles/2003-06-05/art.shtml

Hunka, George (February 11, 2010). Julian at Dixon Place. Culturebot. [archive] http://www.culturebot.org/2010/02/5530/julian-at-dixon-place/

Piepenburg, Erik (June 28, 2012). VHS film retrospective at Museum of Arts and Design. The New York Times [archive] https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/01/movies/vhs-film-retrospective-at-museum-of-arts-and-design.html

Staff report (August 8, 2016). Jeffrey Marsh, Viner of the Year, says stop trying to be someone else and start living your life. cbslocal.com [archive] http://jackseattle.cbslocal.com/2016/08/08/jeffrey-marsh-viner-of-the-year-says-stop-trying-to-be-someone-else-and-start-living-your-life/

Compton, Julie (September 8, 2016). Genderqueer advocate Jeffrey Marsh on “How to Be You”. NBC News [archive]

Marsh, Jeffrey (August 2, 2016). How to handle trol l s and haters. TIME [archive] http://time.com/4394691/jeffrey-marsh-how-to-be-you/

Dickson EJ (April 21, 2022). ‘No Mercy for Child Groomers’: Far Right Targets LGBTQ TikToker Preaching Acceptance. Rolling Stone https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/jeffrey-marsh-tiktok-lgbtq-nonbinary-fox-news-harassment-1339526/

Power, Shannon (March 7, 2023). Jeffrey Marsh Controversy Explained—Nonbinary Activist Videos Spark Concern. Newsweek https://www.newsweek.com/jeffrey-marsh-tiktok-nonbinary-activist-shumirun-nessa-1786034

Giardina, Henry (March 23, 2023). Why is the Right Attacking Jeffrey Marsh? into https://www.intomore.com/the-internet/wtf/why-is-the-right-attacking-jeffrey-marsh/