Post

So, this is the first year I've made a post for Trans Day of Visibility.

I've been publicly out as a trans woman since December 2024. For TDoV 2025, I still didn't feel like I'd accepted enough of myself to be visible. I'd come out, I'd changed my preferred name, I'd even started changing my regular wardrobe, but there was still a lot of myself I was suppressing.

Since the last TDoV I've more fully accepted myself in order to live my life more authentically. I've legally changed my name to my preferred name, and I've pursued more gender affirming care than HRT alone (on the list for bottom surgery).

But I think the most significant changes have been how it's affected my friendships and how I've finally been able to open myself to romantic relationships. I've become a much different person than I was before I came out and even from who I was this time last year.

Living my life authentically as a trans woman has opened me up to so much more joy in my life. Without accepting myself, I wouldn't have started talking to my bestie @emkat.co who started talking to me after I built a prop canon that shot a Blahaj for Vancoufur 2025.

I also wouldn't have met my wonderful partner @alolanraichu.bsky.social, who I love dearly and who has to put up with my chaotic nature since she lives in my house.

Today I'm reminded that I wouldn't have had the self-curiosity to explore my identity or the courage to pursue living as myself without those who have come out before me. Those who have lived their own authentic lives and shown me that it was possible.

I'll forever be more grateful than I can put into words for the people around me who enabled me to live as who I am.

This is why visibility is so important. If I hadn't seen examples in my own life, I never would've been able to get to where I am today.