Trans Men: In Their Own Words
In late 2025, I recorded a 3-part series on trans masculinity.
This marks a long-overdue expansion of the mythopoetic men’s landscape, moving beyond charged political debate to ground ourselves in the lived perspective of trans men of color.
The series gathers four distinct voices—Emmanuel, Aliko, Kanoa, and Lev—to explore the transition currently unfolding within the men’s work.
In preparation for the series, I invited my readers to send in their questions and received a range - mostly from curious folks who genuinely want to learn more about the experience of trans men.
The terrain of these dialogues is both vulnerable and provocative, navigating the legacy of historical domination alongside the complexities of this modern moment.
By diving into the imaginal roots of gender and the ‘trappings of patriarchy’, the series seeks to discover how the tapestry of masculinity might be made more beautiful and complete through the inclusion of trans men.
PART 1
In this opening dialogue, the group explores the origin of the series and the necessity of this conversation within the broader political moment. The guests introduce their unique “positionalities” and the specific contribution they bring to the mythic landscape. The discussion centers on moving beyond biological essentialism to understand masculinity as an internal experience and a “sacred becoming” that challenges traditional binary frameworks.
PART 2
By sharing their personal histories - the specific griefs, private triumphs, and quiet moments of reckoning - the guests disarm the listener with a rare and honest vulnerability. The conversation maps the territory where their unique paths cross and diverge, showing that they are all bound by the same search for a place in the "Book of Life." It is an invitation to move past the intellect and meet these men in the shared human experience of navigating one's soul journey.
PART 3
The final conversation addresses the bubbling faultline within modern men’s spaces regarding the inclusion of trans men. Responding to recent tensions in the public conversation, the group asks whether masculinity should remained defined by biological default or by conscious stewardship. This session is a call to move beyond the fixed cage of prejudice, inviting men of all backgrounds to dismantle the dehumanizing impacts of patriarchy and reclaim a more expansive brotherhood.
ABOUT MY GUESTS
Emanuel H. Brown (he/him)
Emanuel H. Brown A Black Carribbean Man of Trans Experience, land steward and founder of Evolutionary Manhood TM. Inspired by elders, ancestors and spirit he has cultivated a practice weaving together embodiment, spiritual depth, and cultural evolution. As the New World is dawning, Emanuel is bringing aligned energetic and relational tools to those leading cultural and spiritual transformation.
Kanoa Arteaga (he/they)
A māhū (trans) leader and facilitator, Kanoa bridges masculinity, queerness, and cultural healing. As founder of Abundant Masculinities, they create transformative spaces for men and transmasculine people to heal from patriarchy and reimagine masculine wholeness through connection, creativity, and care.
Aliko Weste
A trans, Black, Jewish-Arabic entrepreneur and somatic historian, Aliko explores how culture shapes the nervous system and our collective humanity. Through Our Living Design Studio, he fuses design, embodiment, and activism to cultivate spaces for creative freedom and anti-capitalist healing.
Lev Michael Moses (aka Fresh!)
A love and compassion activist rooted in mindfulness and Love. Lev facilitates trainings and workshops in all spiritual, corporate and nonprofit organizations, focused on wise communication and self compassion in the workplace. His spiritual homes include the East Bay Meditation in Oakland. Their work centers unconditional love and self-compassion as gateways to healing ourselves, our relationships, and our planet.