Ink & Identity

In the beginning, there was a cocoon. A tight, suffocating cocoon that clung to every curve of his being. Inside, he squirmed and writhed, yearning for an escape he could not yet comprehend. The world outside the cocoon was a cacophony of voices. "Mommy, what is that?" he heard a little girl ask, her mother hastily shushing her as they passed by. "Daddy, look at that freak," a teenager sneered, his friends laughing in cruel harmony. Each word was a needle piercing the cocoon, each laugh a gust of wind that shook it violently. He wanted so badly to be "normal." To wear a t-shirt and shorts to the beach, not a one-piece swimsuit that clung to his hips. To flirt with the cute girl in his math class, not be called "sir" by the cashier at the grocery store. To have a dad who taught him to throw a ball, not a mother who cried over the boy he was becoming. Sometimes, he thought he would suffocate inside the cocoon. The weight of his secrets, the fear of...

In the vibrant tapestry of the trans community, trans black men often find themselves isolated and invisible. While every trans person faces unique challenges, the intersection of transphobia and racism creates a particular kind of loneliness for those who inhabit this intersection. According to a 2020 study by the American Psychological Association, trans black men have the highest rates of loneliness among all transgender subgroups. This pervasive loneliness can have devastating consequences for mental health and overall well-being. The Cost of Exclusion Trans black men often feel unwelcome in both cis-dominated and white-dominated spaces. In cis-dominated environments, their trans identity sets them apart, marking them as "other." In white-dominated spaces, including many queer communities, their blackness is the source of exclusion. This double marginalization leaves them with few safe places to be their full selves. As a result, many trans black men feel forced to choose...