TS Madison calls out trans people being left out of ‘Black Love’ conversations

The outspoken host said those in the Black trans community are dismissed as freaks

Feb 12, 2021

In February, Black media platforms traditionally celebrate all things “Black Love” but this week internet and TV personality TS Madison called out how she and other members of the transgender community are often left out of these discussions.

Wednesday, during a Facebook Dating panel entitled Black Is Love: An Intimate Conversation on Dating & Self-Love, the Miami native joined Angela Yee, rapper Saweetie and matchmaker Devyn Simone, and several others to discuss what love in the Black community really looks like.

TS Madison thegrio.com — TS Madison attends the WE tv “Waka & Tammy: What The Flocka” premiere event at Republic Lounge on March 10, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images)

The outspoken host used the event as an opportunity to speak on the erasure of Black trans love. She said instead of being celebrated, those in the Black trans community are dismissed as freaks with those who love them being chastised for finding them desirable.

“We don’t have the opportunity to have our Black love celebrated because it’s so sensationalized,” she said. “So we don’t really get a lot of great representation in the media because they view us, they view our relationships as some type of freak show. So I would love, love to see more representation of trans women and men being together.”

She also pointed out that the need to see trans people being loved on isn’t just restricted to romantic love, citing the unconditional acceptance that NBA player Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union have shown their trans daughter Zaya as a prime example.

“For me Black love is definitely family […] the biggest demonstration of Black love is Black unconditional love and the best example that I’ve seen this year thus far has been Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union with the unconditional love that they’ve shown towards their trans daughter Zaya Wade,” she said. “We don’t really see a lot of that in the Black community […] and we don’t see a lot of a lot of love being displayed you know to us and then when I see that I’m like wow, this is possible.”

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