When my dad died, the storms came again. I hid in my basement apartment in Chicago as the biggest storms of my life raged outside my windows every day. Sometimes they brought intimidating dark clouds to greet me, and other days they roared in with full wind and hail, shaking my apartment and threatening mass…
Tag: Gender Transition
Path to Forgiveness
“It takes about six months to get in, because our doctors are so busy,” a woman tells us on a conference call at work. Her tone is matter of fact as she explains how the trans youth clinic functions at the hospital she works at. “The families come in and meet with a psychologist and…
What does it feel like to be misgendered and/or misnamed?
I think maybe people don’t know what it feels like when they call me by my old name, the legal one I was born with, or when they use the wrong pronouns. So maybe I can explain it to you. Every time someone calls me by my birth name or calls me “he”, a sharp pain hits me hard.
Please Don’t Keep Me Waiting
I sit before you in your office chair for my first consultation. My mom sits next to me, and tension is high. We don’t know what to expect; we are jumping off the highest cliff I’ve ever seen.
3 months ago, I finally told my mom I’m a boy. She looked at me wide-eyed with no understanding. She looked confused, sad, angry, afraid, a whole mess of many things.
Mirrors Shattering
In this new job, I get to hear lots of stories of youth transitioning. I see myself mirrored through them and watch myself as I transitioned 3 years ago. They show me the pain I haven’t let go of, the vulnerability I tried to leave behind as soon as I could “pass” as a man….
Breaking Out
It’s prom night, spring of 2002. I shave my legs for the third time ever and wear a decent black dress I found that’s not too frilly. Doable. Hair’s out of the ponytail and down on my neck. We had a soccer game this afternoon, so all my teammates are getting ready together. Someone puts…
transpiritual 