Ts Madison is Turning Activism Into Reality

Ts Madison is a multi-talented entertainer and actress who has become a prominent voice in the LGBTQ+ community. Her remarkable journey is a compelling narrative of resilience, self-creation, and radical authenticity. It culminates in her latest, deeply impactful venture: the Ts Madison Starter House, a tangible manifestation of her unwavering commitment to the Black transgender community.

Her initial rise to fame through viral internet content set the stage for a career defined by an unfiltered, authentic persona that has consistently challenged norms and reshaped perceptions. Madison’s journey from internet personality to mainstream icon and dedicated community architect is a testament to her enduring power and influence.

In 2014, she released her debut album, The New Supreme, and in 2015, she published her memoir, A Light Through the Shade: An Autobiography of a Queen. She has since appeared in films such as Zola and Bros, and in 2021, she made history as the first Black transgender woman to star in and serve as executive producer for her own reality show, The Ts Madison Experience.

Her involvement with RuPaul’s Drag Race has also been a major part of her career. After making several appearances as a guest judge, she became a permanent judge on the show starting with season 15. Madison’s voice was also famously sampled on Beyoncé’s 2022 album, Renaissance, on the song “Cozy.”

Beyond her entertainment career, Ts Madison is a dedicated activist. On this year’s Trans Day of Visibility, Madison welcomed the press into her home in Atlanta. This wasn’t just any open house; this was the grand opening of the first Ts Madison Starter House, a reentry home for formerly incarcerated transgender women.

According to Madison, it is not just a building, it is the start of a movement, inspired by her own experience as a Black, trans woman who had her own experiences with homelessness and survival sex work. This is a new wave of activism, providing a life-changing chance for women to reclaim their lives, designed and fashioned by and for the Black trans community.

Queer folk experience a number of challenges in reentering life from incarceration, especially those with HIV, including access to healthcare, lack of housing, and the present-day discrimination in full force towards the LGBTQ community. This is on top of the other challenges faced by those who have served time in jail. Regarding the trans community, the startling facts remain that Black transgender women are incarcerated at almost ten times the rate of the general population. Madison is putting her money and resources where her mouth is and turning activism into a tangible resource. For her, it isn’t just about doing something with good intentions; it is about fulfilling what she feels is her duty.

My spirit of giving comes from the seeds my mother, Ms. Mary, planted inside of me as a child. I just have my own style! Also, I know how it feels to be overlooked. I don’t have the luxury of ignoring the world—when you’re a Black trans woman, your existence is political. I speak up because silence has never saved us.

As an entertainer with a big personality, Madison remains unabashedly outspoken, especially in the face of adversity. Turning her home into a transitional facility did not come without its challenges. Ts takes these challenges and turns them into life lessons. Her first Starter House is just the beginning.

The biggest challenge was getting people to believe in the vision—not just the girl. But I don’t let “no” stop me, I let it fuel me. Building the Ts Madison Starter House meant knocking on doors, and when they didn’t open, I built my own. I learned that I’m not just a dreamer, I’m a builder. The Starter House showed me I have the power to create safe spaces where others can start again, just like I once needed. The first house was the seed—I plan to grow a garden. My vision is a national network of Starter Houses for trans folks to feel safe, stable, and supported.

Even with her fame and success, Madison remains grounded and committed to her philanthropic work. She is also very candid about balancing the needs of her career, activism, and mental health. How does she handle the duality of her public and personal life?

There’s no separation, it’s all me. Whether I’m on stage, on set, or on a panel, I’m bringing my whole truth. I just switch the wig depending on the audience! I give what I can, but I don’t pour from an empty cup. And let me be real—sometimes that cup needs prayer, rest, a lil’ therapy, and a daily supplement or two! I want my legacy to say: “She didn’t just make noise, she made change.” Whether it’s through media, activism, or partnerships like the one with Pure for Men, I want to leave this world softer and safer for the next generation.

In her opinion, how can the queer community best support the trans community?

Start by showing up, not just for the parties but for the policies. Uplift trans voices, fund trans futures, and stop treating us like an afterthought. We are the movement. Love on each other—loudly. Protect your sisters, your siblings, your elders. And remember: Pride is more than a party—it’s a promise to never go backward.

The efforts of the Ts Madison Starter House are being supported in partnership with NAESM, Inc., one of the oldest Black-led HIV/AIDS service organizations in the South, and the men’s well-being company, Pure for Men. Pure for Men, offering dietary supplements for “bottoming with confidence,” health and wellness products, oh, and, of course, lube, may seem like an odd pairing, but in looking at the big picture, it makes perfect sense.

I said yes to Pure for Men because they said yes to me—fully. They didn’t just want my face; they respected my voice, my mission, and my community. That’s the kind of partnership I believe in.

Pure for Men is a Black and queer owned company. Like Madison, they are not just making broad statements of support; they are turning activism into reality. They have aided in the establishment of the Starter House, are supporting the launch of a national HIV/AIDS strategy dedicated to Black LGBTQ+ communities, which includes the filming of a documentary covering the efforts of the House. During Pride Month, the company donated a portion of sales to the Starter House, volunteered and participated in community events advocating for trans and non-binary rights, created and shared educational content spotlighting queer issues, and sponsored a number of events important to the queer community.

Lawrence Johnson, co-founder and CEO of Pure for Men, sat down with Metrosource to talk about the company’s partnership with Madison. The company, founded in 2015, wasn’t just intended to be a for-profit company.

Pure for Men was founded with a simple mission: to empower queer people to feel confident, clean, and ready for intimacy, without shame or stigma. We saw a need for a wellness brand that puts our community first, blending sexual health, cleanliness, and confidence into one trusted solution. What sets us apart is our unapologetic commitment to our community. From product development to messaging, we center LGBTQIA+ needs and lived experiences while delivering quality, science-backed wellness products. Our success stems from trust, built on transparency, representation, and results.

Giving back is in our DNA because we know our success is deeply tied to the strength and resilience of the queer community. We believe that visibility should come with responsibility, and we’re proud to invest in organizations, leaders, and causes that uplift and protect our most vulnerable.

Businesses across the nation are experiencing economic challenges. Those are compounded by the political climate for a queer-owned and queer-minded company like Pure for Men.

These (political) attacks have only deepened our resolve. As a queer- and POC-owned business, we feel an even greater duty to speak up, support our community, and create safe, affirming spaces, both online and off. Navigating underrepresentation in retail, access to capital, and bias in marketing channels can be daunting. But staying true to our voice and investing directly in our community has helped us turn challenges into opportunities for impact.

Pure for Men’s partnership with Ts Madison comes at an important time, merging the two organizations’ missions to support the community. For Lawrence, it made perfect sense.

We’ve long admired Ts Madison as a trailblazer and truth-teller. When we learned about her housing initiative for Black trans women, it aligned perfectly with our mission to support grassroots solutions, so we reached out to collaborate in a way that was authentic and impactful. Black trans people are often the most marginalized and least protected within our LGBTQIA+ family. Supporting them isn’t just a moral obligation; it’s a call to stand in solidarity and recognize that true liberation must include all of us. We were deeply moved by the disproportionate rates of violence, housing insecurity, and systemic exclusion Black trans people face every day. These realities aren’t just statistics; they’re a call to action for education, allyship, and structural change.

From Lawrence’s point of view, how can the queer community be of best support to the trans community?

Listen to trans voices, uplift their leadership, and put money and resources behind their work. It’s about shifting from performative allyship to real, sustained support, especially for Black and Brown trans individuals. Stay proud, stay visible, and stay ready. You are worthy of wellness, joy, and liberation, and we’ll keep showing up for you every step of the way.

And what does he want most for the future of the company?

We want to keep growing as a brand that champions wellness and empowerment while staying deeply rooted in community. Our goal is to redefine what it means to be a queer-owned company, impactful, inclusive, and bold.

To find out more about the Ts Madison Starter House, visit naesminc.org/ts-madison-starter-house. And to find out more about Pure For Men, visit pureformen.com.