In the African-American community, because I am a man, they expect certain things of me. They expect me to be very aggressive, to not care about getting an education, to not care about the arts. Too often, we feed into those negative stereotypes people have of black men, things like sagging your pants, being a womanizer. If you don’t do these things, then you’re seen as weak.
And the African-American community depends on men to care not just for themselves and their immediate family, but for their extended families, too. That can be a very heavy burden, and some of the [transmen] just are not prepared to carry that burden. We are here to help them with that.
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I feel free. I feel like now that I am no longer consumed with my transition, now I can focus on being who I am, on being a comfortable and confident man. And I want to help others like me reach that same place.
Carter is a African-American Transman. Please check out his
fascinating story of transition and mission to help other transmen feel welcomed and loved.
