To so many people, Stryker Black was an instant best friend. He was one of those guys you immediately fell in love with. He was hilarious and charming and flirty. To have Stryker in your life was a gift. He had a way of making everyone feel like he had carved out a special spot in his heart for them. He had lots of inside jokes and always committed to a good bit. Stryker was a proud trans man who flaunted his queerness with abandon. As his Tinder profile said: he was baby boy, but also daddy.
Stryker passed away on May 3rd. Originally born in the Bay Area, he moved to southern Illinois at a young age, and eventually ended up with us in New Orleans a few years ago after spending some more time in California in his adulthood.
Stryker was an anarchist and an activist for queer and trans rights, sex worker rights, and harm reduction. Whether it was handing out Narcan, listening to a friend going through a tough time, posting a gender affirming thirst trap, or braking for gay sluts in the Daddy Wagon—he used his voice to further his mission of making every outcast, freak, and friend feel seen.
Stryker leaves behind a community that adored him to no end, filled with trans and queer people, punks, anarchists, recovering addicts, artists, and lovers. He also leaves behind many dogs who got especially excited when he would come over. We will never forget his laugh or his forehead kisses. We will all carry a little piece of Stryker with us and do whatever we can to spread his light even though he’s gone. For those of us who got to know him, we live with deep gratitude to have had him in our lives.
To pay your respects, please visit his altar at The End of the World. If you would like to honor Stryker we suggest the following: post a thirst trap, comfort a friend, tip a sex worker even though you can’t really afford it, train up on Narcan administration, make a joke that goes just a little bit too far, love on a dog, be slutty, take a ride in a pedicab and give them lots of money, watch TikTok for too long, go for a nice bike ride, blast girly pop, and be unapologetic in your queerness.
photo of Stryker Black (top) by Sasha Rose
photo of altar by Britain Forsyth
