Exploring Transmasculine Visibility and Community Unity

Trans male erasure poses significant challenges, limiting visibility and representation of trans men in society. 

The clip episode explores the intersection of identity, privilege, and activism, urging listeners to engage in meaningful conversations about inclusivity and allyship.

• Discussing the importance of visibility in the trans masculine community 
• Examining the paradox of male privilege for trans men 
• Analyzing the intersections of gender identity and sexuality 
• Addressing the fetishization of trans bodies 
• Emphasizing the role of storytelling in reclaiming narratives 
• Encouraging solidarity and inclusivity within the LGBTQ+ community 
• Challenging societal biases against trans identity

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Chapters

• 0:00 Trans Male Visibility and Erasure
• 9:27 Transmasculine Visibility and Misrepresentation

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

One thing that I wanted to add on, with Blossom as well, is about trans male erasure. I concur.

Speaker 2: 0:06

I don't think it's ever been there. Erase it from where we don't even have it yet.

Speaker 1: 0:10

Yeah, and I see that happen unfortunately far too often with folks who've done work, even in different mediums, in different forms, different businesses, They've kind of been erased after a certain point of their work and it's been kind of sad to see that and that's why I've been really intentional about specifically bringing trans mass folks and icons like yourself so you can tell your story, how we can really help with that visibility. Because I mean Blossom, the only way that I feel like we can do it is moments like this podcast and really telling folks stories. Way that I feel like we can do it is moments like this podcast and really telling folks stories Because, as he said and as you know, there's no visibility for trans men in the way that folks assume that there is. I mean, there's some media things that are happening.

Speaker 3: 0:55

I was just about to ask you about that.

Speaker 1: 0:57

Yeah, there's a few things that happen in media and a few influencers that popped up on TikTok, but in terms of resources, we've got nothing at the end of the day, and a lot of the work that I've seen many different trans mask individuals um just completely erased for some, whatever reason, patriarchal structures, et cetera, et cetera that we're fighting. So my question to you is how do you think that we as a community can learn to express again better ways to fight the patriarchy? I feel like, as trans men, we live in this weird world where it's like we have access to male privilege. When we go to the liquor store, the guy is like, hey, what's up, bro, how you doing? But at the same time, when we go into spaces like jobs or actual equitable spaces, where we have to be known as who we are fully, we lose all that privilege. So where do you feel that we can address that? And then, how do you feel about that? And have you experienced that as well?

Speaker 1: 1:53

I know it's a lot of questions. Listen, I want, I want wisdom from you, because I want you know the younger generation to actually hear, because you've really been there at the beginning, when everything was forming, and there's this conversation that the T should be separated from LGBT, and what you said earlier just proves. The reason why LGBT is together is because we were able to consolidate power. That's why ACT UP happened. So, again, it's a lot there to answer, but I'll give you the floor to let it go on whichever subject you wanted to jump in on.

Speaker 2: 2:22

I think one. The T has always been there and you want to keep it there and that's why I do like using the Q. I don't go on to the alphabet more than that, but that only also represents me because I am in a weird. I am a straight trans man, so you have to explain that to people. Straight trans men, so you have to explain that to people. So you know, yes, my gender is male, but that has not changed my sexuality, which is that I have attracted to women.

Speaker 2: 3:00

You know, um, and getting people to understand that, you know it's, it's no different than a um, a gay man who transitions. No, he's not a lesbian, he's a man. Therefore, he's a gay man. It doesn't change or make your transition ridiculous if your sexuality and your gender are so different. But so I think that's important, and I think it's important to be inclusive, because when you keep dividing and dividing, you know, is how we lose power, which is the whole power structure, which is, you know, taking these playbooks from fascist communities, and they're doing that because of what you do, you divide and you divide, which is taking these playbooks from fascist communities, thank you. And they're doing that because of what you do, you divide and you divide and you push one person against the other, which is classic of what's going on in this country now, which has gone on many times, and in this country just in the 1940s, if people would know their history, which is very important.

Speaker 2: 4:01

History repeats itself, right and if you think about the way the Nazis did it. First they came in and took out all of the trans and queer people.

Speaker 1: 4:09

Exactly what we're seeing today. That's literally why I wrote this book. It's the easiest to start with.

Speaker 2: 4:15

Then they moved on. I am a trans Jew, so I get it on all sides. Now, the other thing is what you were asking about like business and stuff. One thing is my art and that's my focal point and that's why, also with like trans figure, where the whole thing was like you know, cutting it up into like a children's play book, because the point is you don't even know what you're discriminating against. Try to line up these bodies yeah, in fact, people with me, even in front of them and that book. I was lucky that both of you know of all the trans work that I've done and again, I'm representing myself because I'm representing hopefully I'm speaking about an entire community when I did all the work with sex workers and the book. You know Marcus Street Cinema. Hopefully I'm speaking for all of the women. You know Um, but you know to to have that that. You know that voice there isn't I.

Speaker 2: 5:16

I think that people are prejudiced because they don't know. Now, I think there are places for people to know and places for them not to know. I have this conversation, debate a lot with my friends of like well, if you're a man, just be a man, and then why would you even tell anybody that you're trans? I mean, the whole point is to be a man, and you're a man, and so I think there's only two places that I am vocal about that, and I'll tell you why. Okay, so one, and I've been married and divorced three times, and then a fiance. I think I'm good in that department. I apparently am not good there. So one, though, would be with a sexual partner, of course, you know, I mean even for a one-night stand, of course. The next one would be with my artwork and getting a message across, because, again, that's my vehicle, that's my activism, that's the way I believe, that I believe in equality.

Speaker 2: 6:18

I've always fought, you know, I was raised an activist. You know I was raised an activist, you know, by my parents, jews. You know. So, like you know, there's that Now, when it comes to my business or just walking down the street or whatever, nobody needs to know I'm trans, and nobody needs to know that I'm trans with my cannabis company, because it's none fucking business. That has nothing to do with me being the best at picking out the best weed, hunting down the best mushrooms, hunting without the best chocolate edibles. Come on down the best of eight pens. Who can pull one out, providing the plug, the plug is now available on transparency podcasts, are we?

Speaker 2: 7:06

around for everybody. Stickers for everybody. Uh, you know, but but anyways, that's because it's supposed to be. Oh seriously, this is for everybody. Feel free to pass those around.

Speaker 2: 7:25

All the people that come in. But so I mean that in a way that, but because I don't want that to color every aspect of my life. Yes, it's very important and that's why I do the artwork that I do. That's why I'm so blessed that you know, of the three films, one about when I was in the prison system that I was blessed enough to do with Cheryl Dunye and Angela Davis. In fact, it's mainly just me and Angela Davis in the film. It's a short but that's pretty sweet. Yeah, and I have really long. I naturally have blonde hair. I told a partner a long time ago I go oh yeah, well, I have blonde hair and she's like dude, if you looked in the mirror, you have gray hair, you don't have blonde hair. I was like what?

Speaker 1: 8:13

Age just creeped up on you, right? You're like what Age just creeped up on you, right?

Speaker 2: 8:15

You're like oh shit what You're kidding me. Shit, love it. But you know, in that aspect, you know it's important. But for me, as a business person, I also people should know like that doesn't rule my life. I'm still an intelligent person. I'm still whatever I am, I'm a business person. I'm still an intelligent person. I'm still whatever I am. I'm a business person. I'm an artist, I'm you know, I'm in healthcare, you know important things. I'm a teacher, I'm a professor.

Speaker 2: 8:47

That should not just be like, oh, this is your identity. And that's why I think we lose a lot of power, just like when we were, you know, coming out the whole thing, which was also, you know, when we were in New York and I was living there. But you know that's when Queer Nation was there and everything, and the whole idea of outing, now forced outing, is not cool, you know. But I do believe that's the same way with trans people. So, yes, you know I'm trans, believe that's the same way with trans people. So, yes, you know I'm trans. That's amazing, great. And I also, you know, just built this cool ass, fucking electric car that's going to take over the world.

Speaker 2: 9:27

Yeah, you know, like you can get to be both things, you know, um, I'm like I said, because I'm an activist and all and I'm an artist. I just choose to and I've always chosen to use that platform. In fact, at first people weren't making the connection that Leon Mostavoy was Tracy Mostavoy, so I changed everything and you don't have it on my website now. What I do in the first paragraph and stuff was I had to read everything because when I was and that's when I first got it like a lot more like people coming out and being like oh my god, wait, you're tracy, the one who's already had so many publications. But as feminist as act up as a lesbian erotic photographer was my main, yeah because you had an identity as a butch lesbian.

Speaker 1: 10:17

Yeah, and there was a lot of activism, yeah.

Speaker 2: 10:20

And it was all about, like you know, and people knew you from that yeah. They knew me really well from On Our Backs.

Speaker 3: 10:27

Yeah, I really want to ask this question how do you feel about people who are not transmasculine fetishizing of transmasculine bodies? You know and I think it's really important that I ask this, especially for those that are watching this that are not transmasculine? Like what are your thoughts around that? You?

Speaker 2: 10:51

mean people that are doing it as for themselves, because they want to look like that, or people that are fetishizing for a sex object, people that are doing it just to be annoying and just to kind of just I'm trying to figure out how to say it Just fetishizing the bodies of transmasculine people.

Speaker 3: 11:13

You know, I have a firm belief that we, as trans people, we're not characters, but we are treated like characters to cis people and although I'm not a trans masculine person, I'm really curious to know what that experience looks like in the trans masculine community and what are your thoughts around that.

Speaker 2: 11:32

I think that you know. It's very much this. I don't know if it still is Again, I'm very much older and I came out a long time ago and they were still like very strict. It was very much like my friend Max Valerio wrote Testosterone Pals, which was the first big book about it.