Dan Taulapapa McMullin (1957 - )

Dan Taulapapa McMullin (they/them) is a non‑binary poet, visual artist, and filmmaker whose work helps people understand the huge range of gender and identity across cultures. Born in American Samoa, Taulapapa McMullin is fa’afafine — a third gender that has existed in Samoan society for generations. Fa’afafine aren’t assigned at birth; their femininity becomes visible as they grow. They make up about 3% of people assigned male at birth in Samoa and are known for their roles in caregiving, family life, and community leadership. Through poetry, painting, film, and performance, Taulapapa McMullin shares stories from Samoan and wider Polynesian LGBTQIA+ communities with honesty and heart. Their poetry collection Coconut Milk was named one of the American Library Association’s Top Ten LGBT Books of the Year, and their nonfiction book The Healer’s Wound is now a key text for understanding Pacific queer history. Their artwork has appeared in major museums, including the Met and MoMA. They live in Hudson, New York, with their husband.