I honestly thought that when I signed up for the listserve about a year and a half ago now, that I would never actually win. It's amazing how you can still draw a blank after all this thinking.
I was born male, and now, as I look back, I see every event that's led up to where I am now, and I see every small, insignificant thing I missed.
I was in a bad place for a long time quite some time ago, but now ever since i've really accepted the fact that i'm transgender, meaning I don't identify with the gender I was assigned with at birth, I feel like my life has been a lot better, even if by looking at me, you don't really outwardly see any difference. I'm pre-hormones, i'm really pre-everything besides a little bit of newfound confidence. I've been growing out my hair, i've been trying to look nicer, act like a better person, and I even came out to a few close friends about who I am. They accepted me for who I am, which went better than I ever could have imagined.
I don't know what i'm trying to tell you all with this message, but I suppose that it's a good thing to know who you are, and to, for the love of God, to not squander or repress that knowledge, but to embrace it.
Also, if anyone cares, my username on reddit is /u/minibug. I'll always be open to chat.
Alice Aldana
[email protected]
Chesapeake, Virginia