In her new book “Life Without Pockets – My Long Journey into Womanhood,” Carla Ernst reflects on her life as a trans-woman. We sit down with her for a conversation about transitioning, gender identity, and marginalization.

“They can say I don’t exist. That’s what this whole thing is about,” Ernst told me when I visited her Wauwatosa home on Monday. “It’s horrible. It takes the human dignity away from 1.4 million Americans for no good reason.”

Milwaukee Pride, Inc. is excited to honor the winners of this year’s BeOUT Awards for LGBTQ Visibility, including author Carla Anne Ernst.

For years, Ernst tried to suppress her feelings and conform to a gender she did not believe she was. “I’ve known my whole life,” Ernst said. “It just took a long time to getting here.”