Acknowledging 8 years on testosterone today; my own, personal, non-harmful “independence day”. I don’t have a lot of current photos, but this is recent enough. This anniversary feels especially poignant as the fight for bodily autonomy continues. Receiving gender affirming care saved my life. A part of me believes in shouting that from the rooftops for as long as it takes for people to understand; another part of me is exhausted from having to convince politicians / people in power that our rights as trans people— the rights of trans youth— deserve to be preserved. It took six years of waiting to finally have top surgery, followed by my first shot of testosterone 3 weeks later. That waiting period felt never-ending. I have not yet— for a single second— regretted my decision to medically transition. I’m grateful to the providers who were so respectful and affirming; to my moms for their never-ending support; and to my friends for the constant love & care. The Leo on the left, 18 years-old, just starting college (literally on the way to my first shot) and waiting to settle into his body, to find that gender euphoria he so craved, would never have believed where life would take him in just a few years. Reminder: these photos aren’t a “before” and “after.” But also... they kind of are. But the “after” isn’t just testosterone; it’s not an end point. It’s the time that’s passed and the care I’ve had access to. It’s years of finding a sense of peace in my body & my soul. Years of therapy & work to navigate life in this often-hellish world, to find joy and happiness, to lean into vulnerability and intimacy in various spaces. Time to reflect and grow as a man, as a queer trans man, as a human. I’m proud of both of these versions of myself. #transisbeautiful