Rhys Ernst Quotes

Trans kids are living in the future in a way. When I was growing up, "transgender" wasn't even a word. It wasn't used. Just the naming of something that's invisible, or was thought of as shameful or different - giving it a name that's not a slur is powerful. It's still a little hard to imagine what it might look like growing older as a trans man, but I think that's going to change for the next generation. For trans kids growing up, that visual bridge towards their future selves is starting to develop in conjunction with this trans media wave we're in.

It's a little simplistic to say trans men are privileged because they're men. I was socialized female and I transitioned at 25, so I experienced a hell of a lot of gender discrimination in a lot of directions growing up.

If you actually just treat people as if they're already in the movement, they're already alongside this movement, and just let them enter the conversation midstream, it's actually more effective.

I think it's really important to champion stories from trans women and trans women of color. That demographic has gone unheard and unsupported for so long, and it's really the community that's struck the hardest by a lot of issues. I try to do a lot of work to champion trans feminine issues and stories, but that said, I do have a personal and deep investment in seeing trans masculine stories reflected in culture. It is a little disappointing to me that trans men and trans masculine people have not really been part of this media movement that we're experiencing right now.

Well, one thing that I like to do is treat the audience as if they're already kind of at the table - they're already a part of the conversation. They don't need the 101 explanation. It's as if bringing a stranger to the table to sit down with these people who are already acting as peers or friends and opening up and just sharing their stories.