I'm Not The Man I Used To Be

I've felt transgender since my earliest memory. The word didn't even exist at that time, and there was no one I could talk to about it. So I spent a great many years trying to figure it out on my own, somehow knowing that I dared not reveal my secret to anyone.

I carried quite a burden of shame, and I went through countless episodes of denial - thinking I could ignore, outwit and ultimately defeat those feelings that kept coming back even stronger.

And, in the end, acceptance was my only option. The suicide rate for transgender people - those who cannot resolve their gender dysphoria - is abysmally high. I'm thankful to be of strong enough mind that I did not succumb to depression or hopelessness.

It's my hope that by telling my story I can give aid and comfort to others who are on the same path and provide education to those who seek to understand the transgender condition.