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Throughout history, a handful of Black transgender individuals have made progress for their community by being public and proud of who they are. Reality TV personality and actress Ts Madison is one such woman, and she is the special guest on this episode of Small Doses, Side Effects of Living Out Loud.
Together, host Amanda Seales and Madison dive into their shared experiences of being public figures who openly voice their opinions – even when some people don’t like it. The two celebrities also talk about the side effects of having star status, like friends who have used them and exploited them to the tabloids.
The RuPaul’s Drag Race host also talks about the complicated and often strained relationship between the Black community and the transgender community.
From voting trends to media representation to red carpet hosts, the LGBTQ+ activist gives examples of times she’s been let down by Black folks and her emotional struggle in feeling rejected by a community she should be able to call her own.
The dynamic pair also discuss the ways Hollywood has limited how they could come up in their careers. Both women recall instances when producers encouraged them to either act crazy or be willing to hyper-sexualize themselves to work on TV.
Seales and Madison have achieved milestones for their communities. The standup comic was the second Black woman to have an HBO special in a decade, and the reality star was the first to produce and lead in a series.
However, the two trailblazers lament that those moments haven’t felt as good as they could have. “This is not prideful – it’s shameful,” says the Small Doses host of being one of only a few women to break ground in her industry. Those moments mainly highlight the lack of representation. The women agree more than they give cause to celebrate.
Listen to the episode to hear the entire conversation.
