There was a moment that Charley Burton learned what it means to be a Black man. Two white women on an elevator at work moved to the other end of the cabin. All he could think is that maybe it’s because he is a trans man.
“I’m in AA and I called my sponsor and, lovingly, she said, ‘Congratulations, you’re now a part of the Black man saga,'” he told host Charles Lewis on the In My Humble Opinion podcast. “White people will look at you and see Black man, not trans man. It’s almost like we have to be comfortable in two worlds. We have to be comfortable as a Black man and be comfortable as a trans man.”
Love the podcast? Read Burton’s story here.
When he was 8 years old, Burton would climb the big, brick steps of the Gordon Avenue Library and sneak into the adult section to try to figure out why he felt like a little boy when everyone else knew him as a girl. He tells his story of growing up in Charlottesville, and moving from silence to being a trans advocate.
“For 50 years, I was brought up in this Black church — everything happened in the Black church — I’m there Sunday after Sunday and learning I was going to burn in hell,” said Burton. “When I started thinking about this whole transition, I thought, what is the community going to think about me? Do I have to move away to do this?”
In My Humble Opinion, the Sunday talk show on 101.3FM, launched the podcast series in December, building on the work of Charlottesville Inclusive Media to bring more of our community’s perspectives into critical conversations. The segments are called First Person Charlottesville and folks can hear them by subscribing to In My Humble Opinion on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Charlottesville Inclusive Media is a partnership between the radio program, Vinegar Hill Magazine and Charlottesville Tomorrow.
While we can’t cover every story that’s important to you, we do our best to be responsive to your needs. We use tips from readers to choose which stories to cover, to incorporate information into broader reports or to help us decide how to grow Charlottesville Tomorrow. Here’s where you can tell us what you think we should be covering.
More from First Person Charlottesville
Listen: What Charlottesville needs to recognize about accessibility
Next on the In My Humble Opinion podcast, India Sims talks about the challenges of doing simple things in a city that won’t change.
Vote now to support First Person Charlottesville!
Charlottesville Inclusive Media is a finalist in a contest about the future of news.
Gun violence is as much about changing our culture as it is about changing our laws, says UVA undergrad activist
Karly Scholz says it’s time her generation changed its relationship with guns.
More local News
Meteorologists expect smoke from Canada to remain over central Virginia until the weekend
Air quality forecasts recommend folks limit their time outside, especially if they have heart or lung issues.
Black Empowerment Coalition to sponsor one last chat with primary candidates before Election Day
One week before the votes are cast, primary candidates for City Council, state house and senate races will gather on Main Street.
Charlottesville Parks and Recreation is offering free dinners to any children who need them this summer
The department will host multiple dinners every week in communities where people have low incomes.
Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority to hold ribbon cutting for public housing redevelopments
The new homes were built after residents spent decades advocating for better living conditions.
After decades dealing with stigma, Friendship Court residents decide to rename their community
“I’m tired of them calling this ‘the hood,’” said Jace Wright, a teen who lives in Friendship Court, which is being completely rebuilt. “We’re trying to make the neighborhood better for the future.”
