Cut To It: Being Trans

When Harry and I talked about me writing this blog post I had a flood of ideas of what I could talk about, but I came to the conclusion that I shouldn't sugar coat it and just be honest. I don't want to be transgender, being transgender has made people view me differently as a person - be it they are now more interested in my life or they have lost interest in having me around. I have grown a lot since coming to terms with being trans because for me it wasn't a great release to have it off my chest, it instead was more of a burden and if you also feel this way, it's okay. You are entitled to feel how you feel and for me, being transgender is hard, scary and a long waiting game. I didn't feel like I was a part of a community and I felt judged by other trans men for not being "trans enough".

However, this is what I have learnt:

BE YOURSELF, STAY TRUE TO WHO YOU ARE and love yourself - you can't change the cards you are dealt in life so do with them what you can. This time three years ago I was just starting to tell myself I was trans and I wanted to end it all because I couldn't handle the thought of transitioning, but here I am three years later in a hotel room in Amsterdam on my twentieth birthday writing this blog post to make sure kids like me accept themselves and grow into the beautiful people that we all know they are.

Finally, never give up on yourself because you will always have you. I have learnt that being trans is hard and scary but it teaches you to be the most loving, accepting and caring person, as you know how it feels to have an absence of all those things through your life, and so you do your best to give it to others. I guess what I'm trying to say is trans is beautiful and it is a blessing in disguise once you learn to love your life - if not for you, then for the fact that you can save others.

Words by Charles Holder for No1Blog