Syd Robinson – Performers with #TobaccoFreePride

The reasons why someone decides to start smoking are often as varied as the smokers themselves. Perhaps you grew up with family members who smoke, maybe you wanted to “fit in” with your peers, or maybe you started smoking as a way to cope with stress and anxiety. Whatever the reason, the evidence is clear that LGBTQ folks in Wisconsin tend to smoke at a rate twice that of their heterosexual or non-transgender counterparts. It’s also clear that once you start smoking that it can be extremely difficult to quit.

Recently FORGE partnered with the City of Milwaukee’s Tobacco-Free Alliance, and the Greater Milwaukee Center for Health and Wellness to produce a video for Milwaukee’s PrideFest, sharing one trans man’s journey toward quitting.  In the video, trans actor and activist Syd Robinson shares how he started smoking while being a member of the Miltown Kings Drag Troupe, and how performing drag helped him to realize his gender identity.  Robinson also touches on the effect cigarettes had on his health and acting career, and how focusing on his goals helped him on his journey to quit.