Visibility Should Not Require A Perfect Masculine Ideal

We challenge the idea that Trans Day of Visibility is automatically empowering and ask who actually benefits when only one version of masculinity gets celebrated. We connect visibility, community standards, and self-definition to Black trans masculine mental health and offer concrete ways to seek support and protect your well-being. 

• why the podcast centers Black trans masculine folks and Black trans men 
• suicide statistics and why safety resources matter 
• why visibility feels complicated when stealth is not a choice 
• how the “ideal man” standard creates shame and exclusion 
• questioning whether masculinity and manhood must look one way 
• defining visibility and masculinity for ourselves as mental health work 
• self-actualization as a path to stronger mental health and well-being 
• gender affirming therapy and peer support groups like Band of Brothers 
• supporting independent Black trans media through Trans Men In Search Of Media 

Listen, follow, and subscribe to the podcast. 

Share the podcast with other black trans masculine folks and black trans men. 

Then subscribe to Trans Man In Search of Media. Support independent Black trans media. 

If you enjoy the podcast, become a paid subscriber or supporter. 

Transcript

Welcome New Listeners And Community

Trans Day Of Visibility Questions

The Harm Of The Masculinity Ideal

Self Definition And Closing Support

SPEAKER_00 0:05

Welcome to the Banner Brothers Mental Health Podcast with a focus on the mental health and well-being of black trans mask and trans men and black trans joy. The podcast is a mix of silver episodes focused on proving the mental health and well-being, the black trans mask and trans men, interviews with black trans mask and trans men, chair the mental health attorney, tips for proving their mental health and well-being, their mental health struggles, and how they are overcoming them. And also interviews with mental health professionals, therapists, community health workers, and organizations trained in a focus on gender from mental health care. The podcast was started because 60% of young black trans men considered suicide according to a research study by the project. And 45% of black trans men considered suicide according to the women's institute. When I'm questionable received pushback, which is focusing on black trans mass, trans men, I cite these two statistics. The podcast will also talk about the importance of peer support groups by Band of Brothers to foster mental health and well-being through social support for black trans mass, trans men, and what that would look like. The podcast encourages getting gender from a professional mental health care, from a licensed gender affirming mental health therapist, and participate in peer support groups by Band of Brothers. The podcast does not provide mental health care nor diagnosis. The podcast is not conducting ostracizing or isolating those who are diagnosed and or suffer from any form of mental health conditions. The podcast strives to be a safer healing space. The podcast is educational, provides tips and resources to improve mental health and wellness. The topics the podcast covers may be triggering. Therefore, listen at your own discretion. If you are suicidal or suffer from suicidal ideation, call translifeline 877-565-8-8860. Black Line 800-604-5841. Which you can text at 313-662-8209. And or the Travel Project 866-488-7396. Hey, welcome to the Band of Brothers Mental Health Podcast, focused on the mental health and well-being of black trans masculine folks and black trans men. I'm Solomon, your host. But before I start the episode, I want to give a shout out to new listeners in Sashis, Texas, San Francisco, California, Jarrett's Field, Maryland, Lithia Springs, Georgia, Columbus, Ohio, Portland, Oregon, Waqueisha, Wisconsin, Dallas, Texas, Madrid, Spain, and Nashville, South Highland, Netherlands. That's a mouthful. Welcome to community. I would also like to shout out our current community of loyal listeners. Thank you for your continued support. Listen, follow, and subscribe to the podcast. Share the podcast with other black trans masculine folks and black trans men. In this episode, we would we will be discussing trans day of visibility. Visibility is complex for a lot of us because some of us are visible, but some of us are not. And some of us are not visible because we don't fit the ideal of masculinity slash manhood. We are not black Greek gods with muscles, full beards, six packs, bulgian biceps, and rigid jawlines, showing off how masculine and good looking we are. So what is visibility really? Is it only for those who have hold the masculine ideal? How does this affect our collective mental health? Tired of black trans folks being ignored and trans folks in general being misrepresented in mainstream media. Then subscribe to trans men and search of media at transmen and search of dot substack.com. An independent media hub focused on black trans folks and traff and trans folks in general. Support independent black trans media by clicking the nick the link in the show notes. Visibility becomes a problem when only a select a select few of us benefit from it. Visibility is a struggle. Those in your own community don't see you. If living stealth is not a choice for you, then visibility is a struggle. Because folks within and without the community can clearly see you don't meet the man mold of masculinity. It is clearly visible that you are not the ideal man. You are other. Those in your own community look down on you. As a community, we uphold the ideal of masculinity. We measure ourselves and each other by it. We aspire to it. We give up, look down on ourselves, feel less than, feel something is wrong with us because we can't achieve it. And because some of us can't achieve it, we do resent those who can. However, those that do achieve it look down on others who can't. They exclude and say they hold up the ideal to benefit the community when really holding up the ideal only benefits them. However, we don't think to question the ideal. We don't ask ourselves, is it realistic? Is this the only way to be masculine man visible? Can I define masculinity and visibility for myself? What is it that I want as a black trans masculine person or black trans man? These are questions that we really need to think seriously about. Because masculinity manhood is defining how each of us wants to show up. Knowing who we are, how we think, defining our purpose, and how we want to live our life, creating our own standard of being and doing. This improves our collective mental health and well-being. Not fucking up our mental health to live up to our realistic ideas of masculinity. Matter of fact, I have heard non-trans men say that only one percent of non trans men, trans men fit the ideal standards of masculinity. Let that sink in. Only one percent. Go for it. But for those who can't, know there are various ways to express and be masculine man. Quit beating up on yourself and comparing yourself with others and be the best version of yourself. Self-actualization, defining yourself for yourself, knowing who you are and who you want to be, knowing what you want, what you desire, what you want to achieve is how you improve your mental health and well-being. If you enjoy the podcast, become a paid subscriber or supporter. Information is in the show notes. The Man Above is Mental Health Podcast is produced, written, and edited.