How do you create your own masculinity? “There was always a certain form of masculinity that I

How do you create your own masculinity?

“There was always a certain form of masculinity that I really identified with growing up. It terrified me to imagine myself in another way. But in the Army, I was forced to fit inside their box — and I didn’t fit there at all. I was too big of a mystery for them. I excelled at being in my own box, but they wanted the control. I tried for a while… They’d tell me to do 12 push ups and I’d do 40. I put my best in it. And then they chaptered me out.” – D’Jamel Young, 28, Bronx, NY

(From the photo series Masculinity Means, created for Medium.com’s WE ARE THE T! collaboration)