Reflecting on the society that influenced so much of who I am, I wrote this: 

I am sketched into a narrative that is out of my control. My existence is painted in panicked strokes, each one more hate-filled than the last. I’m framed as the problem, titled “Gender Ideology Extremist,” a misunderstood masterpiece hanging in the basement of a great American gallery. They have tried to paint over this canvas for generations, yet the old image still shines through.

A supreme being sculpted me into something heavenly. Following a centuries-old tradition of all great artists, the being refuses to explain their creation to anyone. I am loved by my creator. I am treasured by my creator. I am liberated by my creator.

Although they persist, trying to change what was divinely created, one by one, stones are thrown to weather me down. I stand tall and strong, refusing to allow myself to crumble. As each marble clast hits the ground, I can’t help but wonder: Why does my identity offend you?

I grew up confused about why my parents tried so hard to make me something I wasn’t. My story is typical for most trans women. I grew up gravitating toward toys that little girls played with and pranced around just like my sister. As I got older, I began sneaking into my mom’s makeup and closet to play in her heels and dresses.

I dreamed of a day when I could be treated like a girl.

At this point, I didn’t even know what gender ideology was. I just knew the feelings I had within and how they were frowned upon by society. I only knew boys were boys, and girls were girls.

When I became a teenager, the confusion multiplied. I entered a deep depression while puberty carried out its biological job. Each year, I became more insecure and began questioning my worth. At 15, I decided I wouldn’t cater to anyone’s idea of who I was anymore.

I began socially transitioning at 16 and medically at 17. Instantly, it was like a complete 180 in my confidence. I went from dodging life’s experiences to never wanting to be in the house again.

Throughout my transition, states around the country carried out their war on my community. According to Translegislation.com, a website that monitors legislation against transgender people, there are 581 anti-trans bills being tracked across 48 states. They are tracking another 21 at the national level. These bills aim to block education, legal recognition, basic health care, and the right to exist publicly.

An example would be an active bill from West Virginia, HR6. If passed, transgenderism would be deemed a mental disorder, for the sake of “affirming the biological reality of two genders.”

Another is Maryland’s HB1399, which would seek a life sentence for health care practitioners who prescribe, dispense, or administer hormone replacement therapy to minors for purposes of treating mental health diagnoses associated with gender nonconformity.

Over the last five years, there has been a 2,006% increase in anti-trans legislation introduced across the nation, according to translegislation.com. In five years, America has made my community one of the hottest debate topics. They suddenly feel the need to impede our progress and inhibit any further growth.

The rise of this introduced legislation creates a stepping stone for people against transgender liberation to feel they are right to spread hate. Throughout history, when people have enough contempt against communities, they eventually take out their anger or frustrations.

In 2021, Time magazine released an article claiming anti-trans rhetoric and violence had reached an all-time high in America. The same year, the Human Rights Campaign reported 59 transgender people died from fatal violence. This was the deadliest year for gender nonconforming people on record. Half of the reported deaths had been misgendered, meaning that the actual overall count could be higher.

Since 2013, HRC has reported 335 total transgender deaths from fatal violence, of which 40% of these killings have gone without any arrests. That’s 135 cases without justice. Black transgender women make up 62% of these deaths. That is 207 Black trans women who have lost their lives to hatred and fear. In my own backyard, 10% of these deaths took place. Making 33 transgender individuals killed in Texas.

As a proud Texan and Black transgender woman, these statistics light a fire for change within me.

President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign made it clear this issue would only multiply.

He coined the term “gender insanity” and used it many times on the trail. He referred to transfeminine athletes as “men in women’s sports.”

He said in a rally that Democrats were “pushing the transgender cult on children,” furthering the narrative that we have an agenda to turn American children trans.

He constantly attacked us as threats to biological women and said he would have the FDA perform an independent study to find if hormone replacement therapy increases the risk of extreme depression, violence, and aggression.

He went against opponents by using rhetoric like, “Kamala is for they/them. President Trump is for you,” and demonized them for their support of trans rights. He managed to single us out and make it seem as if we are not part of the American world.

This causes a lot of anxiety for me. I fear what he will do to intervene with my freedom. I knew he would stick to his word because so many hate-filled people felt heard and seen. They felt empowered by what he said he could do to a marginalized group—a group they never took the time to try to understand, one they would rather have hidden again.

When Trump was elected to the presidency again, I knew I would spend the next four years defending my existence. On day one, he began fulfilling his promises.

He has signed executive orders declaring the U.S. government would only recognize male and female as genders, determined by biology. He has had transgender women switched into men’s prisons. He has banned schools from respecting students’ social transitions, meaning teachers should ignore the gender identity of a student and refer to them with sex-based pronouns. Trump has defunded transgender medical care for the youth in our community, affecting young people who have already been on these medications.

Most recently, he has rolled back the Biden administration’s policy that allowed transgender people to serve openly in the military. His actions have led to the Pentagon announcing that transgender troops will be removed from the military.

He is seeking to exclude and ostracize us in every facet of American life.

My mom told me early in my transition that people have a hard time liking what they don’t understand. That is why I have always had patience with most anti-trans people. They speak and feel from a place of ignorance. They have no idea why they hate me, besides the fact that they’re supposed to.

I know people in my community who have decided to go off the radar. They have decided to no longer live proudly and openly with their gender identity because they are in constant fear of what could happen to them. No one wants to be next.

At first, I was confused by this and wondered why they wouldn’t want to fight for what is theirs. Why would they want to cower to the opposition when we have had so many brave brothers and sisters fight for what we have now? What happened to silence is violence?

Eventually, I had to realize that it’s OK for them to be scared. Not everyone has the energy to fight.

Thankfully, we have a multitude of fighters—people like me, who will put our lives on the front line to defend the unalienable rights we earned and the respect we deserve.

My community has always been here, and we won’t be going back to the margins we once resided in.

We are doctors, teachers, and community leaders. We are lawyers, judges, and veterans. We are not asking for anyone’s permission to exist in spaces we earned the right to occupy.

We are Americans who demand our liberation, freedoms and rights.

They can attempt to criticize every aspect of each masterpiece within our community, but we were never molded, carved, or chiseled for their review anyway. Transgender people will outlive our critics like every great art piece throughout history.

My dream of being treated like a girl has finally come true. Yet, America has twisted it into a nightmare where I’ve been left no choice but to fight like a woman.