Asher, United States (he/him)

“You're right where you need to be, and if it's not where you want to be, don't worry- you'll get there."

Was there a definitive moment you realized you were trans? How old were you?

I knew something was wrong when I hit puberty and it was not going how I thought it would. My body suddenly felt foreign and wrong. It wasn't until I hit 14 that I had a name for what I was feeling, and that fixing my rebellious body was possible.

How soon after did you start to make changes? What were these changes?

I first started by coming out at 16, told everyone my actual name and requested the correct pronouns be used. At this point I already presented male in my attire and hairstyle. It wasn't until I hit 28 that I finally was in a financial place to get top surgery and start hormones.

Have these changes started to make you feel more comfortable in your life and body?

Transitioning saved my life. I was deeply unhappy and the idea of having to be a woman for an entire lifetime was unimaginable. Top surgery made me feel like a man stranded in the dessert who finally found water. Hormones cleared my brain fog and eased my depression. Suddenly, happiness wasn't a foreign concept but a feeling I finally got to partake in.

What would you tell your younger self? Would you do anything differently?

I've always told myself, "everything will be OK. As long as you're alive, you can make it OK." I'd like to tell younger self that it's not just a silly mantra to keep yourself going. It's real, and you will make it all OK. There's loads of things I'd have liked to have done differently, but I don't think it would have been possible and things turned out just fine.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Transitioning taught me that you're never too late or too early to anything. You're right where you need to be, and if it's not where you want to be, don't worry- you'll get there.

Have the gender-affirming steps you’ve taken impacted your overall happiness and sense of well-being?

Yes.