Jae, Germany (he/him)

“It gets better guys, trust me. Lots of love !"

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

I‘ve had dysphoria since I was a child, I just didn’t know what it was. I used to shower with my underwear all the time and thought it was normal to hate the changes on my body and like the female parts. I was 6-12 years old at that point. At 12 I realized I was trans and came out to my family.

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

As soon as I came out, I cut my hair short and started passing. I also started therapy to get on testosterone, and now I am almost a month on testosterone.

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

Since I’m only one month on testosterone I can’t really tell a difference in my body but coming out and starting to pass as a male really helped me feel more comfortable.

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

I would tell my younger self that it’s okay to be trans. Also I would go on puberty blockers.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

It gets better guys, trust me. Lots of love !

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

Yes.