One Year Transition Update

Posted by AddictedToDrPepper1 from Cardiff - Published on 28/02/2013 at 10:45
8 comments » - Tagged as Culture, Health, People

Yn Gymraeg // Welsh version

I'm not sure of the exact date I came out but it was around this time and although the photo of me on the right is from October, I really like it.

It's been more or less a year since I came out as Trans-male and I just wanted to record it and seeing as I've always been very open about and inclusive with my journey and transition, especially here on CLIConline, I thought that this was the best way.

I want to say thank you to everyone who has been there for me over the past year, especially my Mum, Sophie and everyone at TheSprout and CLIConline. I really wouldn't have made it this far or even be the person I am today without your love, patience and support so once again a huge thank you.

The last update I did was when I got my binder all the way back in August, so I have a lot to more to add to the list.

The first photo was me at the Miss May I, Chelsea Grin, Chunk! No Captain Chunk! and Abandon All Ships gig in October 2011 and the second was taken as I said in October.

This is very hard for me, as I get very dysphoric looking at old photos of me. I usually am not even able to look at an old photo of myself let alone post it here, but I'm with the awesome lead singer of Chunk! No Captain Chunk! so I guess that makes it a little bit easier.

Over the past year I have achieved:

My first body modification of cutting 20 inches off my hair (I gave it to Cancer Research to make wigs and earned £100 for them doing it)
I came out to all my friends and now all of my family
I threw away my bras and started using a makeshift binder, then later on bought a proper one from Underworks online
Started using the disabled toilets instead of the women’s and then finally plucked up the courage and started using the men’s,
Got my school to register me as Cosmo and let me used the disabled toilets in school
Requested funding for Tavistock (which is a still on going process),
Fully passing as male to strangers
Stop most dysphoria-related self-harming
Starting be able to deal and relax more with transphobic abuse and being called the wrong pronouns
Won various awards for my work about LGBT+ issues
Had an article in The South Wales Echo
And I have recently got back into school, which I am very happy about

Although I may not be where I want to be just yet or any where as strong and able to cope with all of this as I feel I should be, I am proud to be who I am and what I have achieved and overcome. I have a long way to go yet but I feel more confident that I will make it there than I was this time last year and that is purely to do with the support and help I have received from others.

This year is a big year for me as I will start taking male hormones once I reach 16 and I will also be able to legally change my name so I'm really happy about that.

I don't know what else to really say or how to wrap this up. But I hope all of this is proof to those who need it most that things really do get better and that you really need to stick around to see and if nothing else just to be able to say, "I made it." No journey or transition is easy, I think I know that better than anyone, but trust me when I say that it will always be worth it. Although I have a long time to wait before I am able to say that myself, I just hope that you are all there to see me say it and that I am there to see you also say it.

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