5 trans guys who shared their beautiful transition stories to inspire others
Coming out as trans and starting to transition is usually a huge relief but can also be daunting and difficult for some.
But some trans people publicly share photos and videos which document their physical transformation as they possibly undergo hormone therapy or surgeries as part of the transition they want to undergo.
These trans people have bravely shared time lapses, letters to their teenage selves or even duetted with themselves in order to inspire others to come out and live as themselves, where it is safe to do so.
RELATED: Trans dads tell their beautiful stories about giving birth
Check out a selection of the most inspiring transition stories below.
Jaimie Wilson
A 21-year-old trans musician who lives in Florida, Wilson has shared images pre, post and during his transition.
Boasting over 200k Facebook followers, Wilson is called brave but it hasn’t been an easy journey to where he is right now.
Wilson told PinkNews earlier this year that since he came out as trans, he has “lost” many of his closest relatives and friends.
“I’ve lost my family and most of my friends since I started my transition but in the process, I’ve found out who really cares about me,” he said.
He has, because of his current appearance, also been criticised by some people who say he is “trying too hard” to be a man.
Music, he says has “never failed” him.
“Music never ran away when times got shitty or gave up on me, so why should I give up on it?”
Those same critics also said Wilson could never be trans because of how “feminine” he presented prior to coming out.
But after periods of battling voice-loss due to his hormone replacement, Wilson says he is back on track with his music.
He even says he is inspired by his transition in his lyrics.
Wilson often shares inspirational snippets of what he is up to on his Facebook page.
Charlie Peck
This trans man from Sweden shared an extremely moving video of him singing a duet with himself pre and post-transition.
He dedicated the cover of the song ‘Home’ to the trans community and said he hoped the song, recorded at different stages of his transition, would help others struggling with their own journey.
Peck says he was motivated to create the video to give back to the community.
“During my own journey I benefitted greatly from other people’s stories and progress. I wanted to find my own way to give back to others, to give people in the trans community hope that things can get better and life can move in the direction you wish it to.”
He added that despite finding some negative feedback, he had mainly only felt a positive reaction.
“I am so glad people have shown so much appreciation.
“A few people have given me really harsh comments, but they are so few that I can count them on one hand.”
“I have noted that people think I was a different person before. I guess that’s because I chose to sing to myself. Maybe it has sent the wrong message. I’m exactly the same person as before, I’ve merely shed coats,” he said.
Check out the song below:
Jamie Raines
Raines recorded a video of him reading a letter he wrote to himself as he was before his transition.
The activist documented his transition in a number of ways, and says that he found his feelings pre-transition to be confusing.
He writes the letter to himself before he knew he was transgender.
“Pretty soon, you’re going to realise something big about yourself,” he says. “And it will change your life forever.”
Raines says he watched a documentary which helped him figure out his transgender status.
Going on, he says it was “terrifying” for him to come out, especially to his family, but that he felt relieved afterwards.
“I know that you’re currently going through a really tough time,” he continues. “But you’ll get through it.
“Try writing down how you’re feeling…you won’t be able to talk about it straight away.
“The hardest thing is going to be accepting yourself. But with time – and seeing others out there going through the same thing – you’ll get there.”
He finishes: “One day, you’ll be really proud of who you are.”
He also in 2015 shared a time lapse video of himself with hundreds of photos he took from before going on testosterone until well into his transition.
Raines started the project before going on testosterone aged 18, taking a picture of himself nearly every day.
Three years later, aged 21, Raines – who appeared in Channel 4 documentary Girls to Men – uploaded the pictures to show how much he has changed.
Watch the montage below:
Colter Alexander
The 24-year old from Denver, Colorado, posted topless pre-surgery pictures on Instagram to change the narrative around trans people.
It’s a move that some people may find shocking when paired with the overused narrative of ‘trans people hating their bodies until they are able to physically transition’ (if they choose to).
But Colter explained: “I’ve learned to love parts of myself I may have never discovered before.”
“There’s a lot going on upstairs all the time but when you have to battle yourself every day, you learn a new appreciation for loving yourself.”
Colter uses this platform to spread positivity and inspire other trans people to find comfort within themselves, no matter what stage of transition they are at.
He often uses hashtags on his photos like #thisiswhattranslookslike and #transisbeautiful.
He said he wants to celebrate the “beauty” of physically transitioning that comes from no longer feeling as though he is “trapped in this weird bird cage that curves wrong.”
A number of young trans people have reached out to Colter, thanking him for being so open about his journey.
“Y’all, get out and enjoy today start putting your mind & body first be good to your temple.. Remember, it’s your home for the rest of your life,” he says.
Kayden Coleman
Coleman found he was pregnant as a surprise, saying he thought he was just overweight when he discovered he had conceived.
Kayden Coleman began his transition over a decade years ago and preparing for a mastectomy – which required him to stop his hormone treatment.
It was during this time that Coleman says he fell pregnant – but did not realise for nearly five months.
He says he alerted his partner, Elijah, after he started to experience severe back pain and felt extremely bloated.
“It felt like there was a pillow under my stomach but there was no pillow,” he told The Mirror.
But the couple couldn’t be happier with their surprise.
Coleman said that even after their daughter – who they named Azealia – was born, it took him a while to adjust to his new role.
“Even when I first held her it hadn’t sunk in that she was mine, so I didn’t really feel much,” he said.
“But I knew things would never be the same again. I was so happy to finally see her face.”
*BONUS* Silly Girl
This short film, written by Game of Thrones star Ellie Kendrick and directed by Hope Dickson Leach, a 40-something trans man relives his first romantic encounter and confronts himself as a confused teenage girl.
The poignant short, ‘Silly Girl’ explores the relationship between our past and present selves, and is the first installment of a NOWNESS series on gender and its impact on our lives.
Silly Girl was adapted from elements of the short play of the same name, by actor/writer Ellie Kendrick, star of Game of Thrones and An Education.
Working with documentary filmmaker Jason Barker and Dickson Leach, the team has created a touching reflection on past identities, with the thread of hope that “things get better.”
“When I saw the play that this was based on – at the Royal Court, which Ellie wrote with Jason, I felt like I was seeing my story. Which is strange as I’m neither gay nor trans,” Hope Dickson Leach told PinkNews.
“They had managed to make something so specific feel so universal, which was such a beautiful thing. I’d love it if people who see this film, however they identify, feel like there is something of themselves here.
“The idea of being seen, being chosen, and being terrified of being found out, that is something we can all relate to. I hope that the film allows us to see connection first, and gender second.”
Watch it below:
