I work with kids, and there’s a small button that I wear with my uniform that says he/him/his. They happened to notice that button and said, “Why do you have that on?”
I said, “Well, sometimes people will call me something that I’m not, so this button is to remind them of what to call me. The good news is that you can be called anything.”
So, then I just flip it around on them, “What could you refer to yourself as?”
When COVID struck, Naya’Hri Suhalia leaped into action. More people in hospitals means more mouths to feed, and Naya’Hri took on the arduous task of feeding pediatric patients and their families. As an openly trans person, he has also used this role to facilitate conversations that have changed the hearts and minds of dozens, if not hundreds of patients.
Naya’Hri talks about his experience as a trans frontline worker below.
This interview is part of our Transcend video series, which features success stories within the trans community.