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When Khris Goins began his transition in 2020, he didn't see anyone who looked like him. There was only one other Black trans man he knew — the person working the front desk at the support group center he attended in Columbus.
That lack of representation sparked an idea that would grow into Black Transmen of Ohio, a nonprofit organization that has evolved from a small support group into a comprehensive advocacy and resource network serving Black trans men and nonbinary individuals assigned female at birth across the state.
"Back in 2020, when I was beginning my journey transitioning, I didn't see anybody that looked like me," Goins said.
Goins partnered with that front desk worker and teamed up with Mozaic, a local Columbus organization, to start a support group specifically for Black trans men in Ohio. What he discovered was a community of people who largely didn't know each other and weren't aware of the resources available in their areas.
"A lot of the guys didn't know each other. A lot of them didn't know about the resources in their areas to get the things that they needed," Goins said. "I basically was like, if I can help, if I could create an organization for us to help us become better and to thrive and to find the stuff that we need, then I'm gonna do that."
What started as peer support has expanded into active political advocacy. Goins has traveled to Washington, D.C. to lobby politicians, asking them to support legislation protecting transgender people and the broader LGBTQ+ community.
According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), as of March 2025, there are 511 anti-LGBTQ+ bills across the United States — a significant increase compared to previous years.
In Ohio, Goins is working on multiple fronts. He partners with organizations like Equality Ohio to support community members facing workplace discrimination, actively seeking out employers who genuinely commit to diversity, equity and inclusion practices.
"We work with a lot of organizations like Equality Ohio to be able to help our brothers who do undergo discrimination, have somebody to turn to to help fight for them," Goins said. "We're also out here finding organizations that are true to their diversity in the DEI, that actually mean what they say, and are going to hire us and protect us while we're there."
Goins has also engaged with the Columbus police chief and the FBI about employment opportunities for transgender people and ways to make trans and nonbinary individuals feel more comfortable during interactions with law enforcement.
The organization is working to connect community members with medical specialists who understand Black trans bodies and can provide services like reproductive healthcare and top surgery, a gender-affirming procedure involving chest reconstruction.
For many trans men and nonbinary people, routine healthcare visits can be uncomfortable or triggering experiences. Navigating these appointments while transgender or nonbinary can bring up gender dysphoria or fears of being misgendered, particularly when it comes to reproductive health services.
"We're trying to build partnerships with healthcare providers. We're trying to find ones that are very familiar with our Black bodies, because our bodies are not like everybody else's," Goins said. "So finding those who can recognize and understand how our bodies work from when it comes to just from our top surgeries to those who carry children, just haven't been able to have that comfort level to even go to the OBGYN and have the Pap smear."
While Black Transmen of Ohio pushes for systemic change in legislation and institutions, Goins emphasizes that support and grace in personal relationships can be equally important.
His advice for families navigating a loved one's transition centers on love and patience from all sides.
"Let them know that you still love them no matter what, who they are, you love them for themselves. Show them that love. And then also at the same time, give grace. Respect their names, respect their pronouns," Goins said.
But he also encourages transgender individuals to extend grace to their families who are adjusting to change.
"On the reverse end too, I wanna tell that trans individual too, give your family grace as well. They're used to you being one way. And so they're not gonna get it immediately. So the biggest thing is to give each other grace."
The organization continues to grow, addressing gaps in healthcare, employment, legal support, and community connection that disproportionately affect black transgender individuals.
To learn more about Black Transmen of Ohio, visit btmohio.org.
This story was produced at the Eichelberger Center for Community Voices at WYSO. Translucent is made possible with support from The Rubi Girls Foundation.
