According to the Human Rights Campaign, there’s a one in three chance that you personally know someone who identifies as trans.
But, if you have questions – and we know you do – we talked to several people in the trans community who wanted to share their experiences and how you should think about them and interact with them. Think of it as trans 101.
There are more than 110,000 people in Florida who identify as transgender, including some 16,000 between the age of 13 and 17, according to figures from the UCLA Williams Institute.
Tatiana Williams is a Black trans woman in her 50s who started her transition as a teen three decades ago.
“This is me. Despite how anybody felt about it, I knew that when I was transitioning, this was it. And, it just made me feel comfortable…I never went back," Tatiana said.
Now, Tatiana helps others who are on their journey.
“A lot of people feel that living your life authentically, being the person that you wanna be, may go against a lot of values," Tatiana said. "May go against things in their religious beliefs. So, they just may feel like we don't exist. Some people feel like it's just something that we created within our own community and not understanding this is people's lives, this is how we feel, this is how we navigate."
But to better understand, you need to start with the basics. The definition of a trans person is when someone’s gender identity doesn’t align with the gender they were born into.
“So just waking up every day as a transgender person and the masses don't understand who you are. That in itself is a challenge," Tatiana said.
A trans woman is someone who was assigned as male at birth but who lives and identifies as a woman.
A trans man is someone who was assigned as female at birth but who lives and identifies as a man.
Others may describe themselves as non-binary. “Binary” means having two parts. In this case, male and female. Nonbinary describes genders that don't fall into the two sex categories. Also, some trans people take hormones or have surgery as part of their transition, others may change their pronouns and appearance.
While conducting an interview with NBC6, Camille Lewis, Executive Director of Color N Raw, asked me: “So what do you see in front of you? I will ask you this question. What do you see in front of you?" and I responded, “I see a woman."
“Very good. My pronouns are she, her and hers. I dress how I want to be addressed. And that's basically how my trans brothers and sisters identify," Camille said.
Color N Raw is an organization created in 2016 to cater to the needs of Black LGBTQ+ youth facing homelessness.
“And it takes a lot of finding yourself and being happy with self," Camille said. "Even when I, even by me having the support of my family, I still had to be happy with Camille. And I had to find myself and I had to be happy with Camille because you find yourself wanting to do everything, to please everybody, to keep to continue that acceptance."
So we asked Camille what is the best way to have a conversation with a trans person.
"Just like you and I. Exactly. We don't need any special language. There is no code. There is no hand signal. There is no colloquialisms that you need to use. There is no specific words that you need to use," she said. "Just like you and I are have an engaging conversation. This conversation is comfortable. It's respectable. You're asking questions without judgment. It's about tone and timing."
Camille says if ever in doubt, just talk to a trans person like you would anybody else.
“If you're going to talk to me, talk to me because you're intrigued to know Camille for Camille. Or you are trying to know that person for that person there?" Camille said.
Jazmine McKenzie with the McKenzie Project agrees that you should enter into a conversation without judgment. And pronouns are important.
“They're, they pronouns and how they want to be addressed," Jazmine said.
What’s not okay is “calling people by their dead name, misgendering people and assuming. A lot of times people assume, but it's not good to assume," Jazmine said.
She added it’s also inappropriate to ask about one’s body parts.
“I think a lot of people will get the whole misconception about genitals where they feel like genitals define who you are as a person. And I tell people all the time, like my genitals doesn't define who I am," Jazmine said.
Trans people are human. Whether you understand trans or not, they are people. People who want to be treated with the same amount of dignity and respect as anybody else.
Beyond Gender
In a world that often forces people into boxes and labels, there’s a powerful joy in breaking free. For many in the Black trans community, that joy is not just about identity; it’s a profound act of liberation.
The trans community stands proudly in its truth and refuses to be invisible. For Black trans individuals, joy itself is revolutionary and that joy is taking center stage.
“When we talk about Black trans people and as a whole, Black trans people are triple marginalized and Black trans people are the ones who we see have the highest rate of homelessness, the highest rate of individuals engaging in some of our sex work. And as well as the highest rates of individuals who are being murdered throughout the year," Jazmine McKenzie said.
Jazmine is not only Black and trans; she’s a mother, grandmother, activist, and pioneer. She is committed to her community as the executive director and founder of the McKenzie Project and the new Joy and Liberation Center in Weston.
“My experience was a very rocky road. I've dealt with homelessness, you know, coming in contact with HIV at 14 years old when I'm now 36 years old, being molested by individuals in my family, having to go inside stores, still sitting on the street to make ends meet," Jazmine said.
The Joy and Liberation Center is the first Black-led trans drop-in center that provides full resources to the people she serves.
“We have an on-site laundry room. We have a shower. We have a full pantry. We have a grocery store. We have a black box theater," Jazmine said. "We also have a mailbox center for those who are facing homelessness. They can use our address, and they can get the important documents that they need. We also have a charger station for those who are facing homelessness that can come by, take a nap, and charge their phone."
It’s called the Joy and Liberation Center because it’s a space for other trans people to embrace every part of themselves: their blackness, their queerness, and their trans identity.
But that journey hasn’t been easy. Living authentically has meant facing both internal and external challenges, from societal expectations to family dynamics. Yet for them, it’s all worth it.
“How joy and liberation helps with survival is building confidence within people, helping people become liberated and understanding their truth and their worth, and becoming out of the mindset of thinking, I can't do it, and having the power and the energy to say, I can do it, and I will do it, and I will survive, and I will conquer. And I think it's a beautiful thing," Jazmine said.
For others, joy is a reclaiming of culture. Historically, Black trans individuals have faced high rates of discrimination and violence. But Camille says the narrative isn’t only about survival; it’s about thriving in spaces where they’re fully accepted and celebrated.
“Liberation, we know it means freedom. Freedom to express yourself. You liberate it, you know," Camille said. "Hopefully, you come in here and you feel as if, like, I have been liberated. I have found my people, my tribe. And the joy is, like, it's basically what the word is. Joy. You find joy in being free and finding your camp and finding your people. The trans community has been through a lot."
Gatherings and celebrations, are more than just events. They’re affirmations of existence, spaces where the Black trans community can experience acceptance and belonging. For many, this is a second family, one that offers the understanding and support that mainstream society often does not.
“There are people today that still counted me out and I laugh at it," Camille said. "And I encourage that count, but at least you're counting. And I encourage people that walk behind me and point and say, oh my god, is that a man? At least you're paying attention to me. And I simply continue to exude my greatness wherever I go, because I know there for some, therefore some, it's a one and done and they can't take that type of ridicule."
From challenges with healthcare access to housing, the community faces real struggles. Yet even in these fights, there is unity, there is resilience, and there is an undeniable spirit of joy. For many, that spirit of joy is a reminder that they are enough, just as they are.
“It's a process. I will say that. And it's not easy. And if my counterparts, my brothers, and sisters will allow me to speak for them on this subject, it takes a lot. And it takes a lot of finding yourself and being happy with self," Camille said.
While society may still have a long way to go, these stories of joy and resilience are proof that the Black trans community is here, is strong, and will keep pushing forward, unapologetically celebrating each other and themselves.
