'I always knew I was trans. I was 5 or 6, being raised Christian, and I thought, thank God heaven exists, because one day I will die and get to have my real body there. I am on estrogen, transitioning for four years now. If I was born a woman, I would’ve been happier with my body, but less happy with my social role.

'It shouldn’t be the responsibility of an oppressed population to deliver their message in a way that feels good to hear. But if you want to make progress, you have to put your ego aside for a bit, so that the others can’t just check out of your message. When you get mad, it gives them ammo.

'My Mom is always cultivating hope. I adopted that silver-lining perspective early, and that’s how I got through being dysphoric. It’s about what I’m walking towards vs. what I’m running away from.

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