Songwriter Teddy Geiger opens up about coming out as trans
(Rich Polk/Getty Images for BMI)
The songwriter and producer Teddy Geiger has opened up about her experience of coming out as trans in a candid interview.
The artist, best known for her work with her friend and collaborator Shawn Mendes, revealed that she did not know that transgender people existed for most of her life.
The star also said that she hopes her coming out – in an Instagram comment to a fan – while help inspire young trans people.
She told the New York Times: “I can remember back to being 5 and looking in the mirror, feeling like a girl and wanting that.
“But growing up in Rochester, there were limited resources. I’d never met a trans person before.”
The increased visibility of trans people in the media, including the models Hari Nef and Teddy Quinlivan, were crucial to helping her to understand her identity she said.
She added: “I just feel more open. Because I’m willing to talk about everything now, people are then more open with me.”
(Creative Commons)
“There’s no longer this piece of me back there saying, ‘Don’t go there’”.
The star came out publicly in October 2017, responding to a fan’s questioning on Instagram.
(@TeddyGeiger / Instagram)
Writing on the social media site, Geiger responded to a fan who questioned why they looked different.
The singer replied: “Okay… because u asked nicely… I am transitioning.”
Geiger added: “I started talking about it with a couple of my close friends and family about a month ago and it’s given me the courage to start the process.
She is a long-term co-writer with Shawn Mendes, and has credits for ‘Stitches’, ‘Mercy’ and ‘Treat You Better.’
Shawn Mendes has given full support to Geiger, previously telling Billboard: “I’m so grateful to be going through this process with her because I’m learning so much from it.”
LGBT people are underrepresented in the mainstream media, according to a study by GLAAD, a US media monitoring organisation.
Of 125 major film releases in 2016, less than 20% featured a character who was LGBT, a report by the group found.
