On half a decade.

July 14, 2023

It’s been 1,827 days since I finally made it home.

5 years of discovery, learning and unlearning, loving & loathing, growth & pain, gain & loss.

5 years of Grace.

In the last half decade, I’ve watched as a growing number of people have tried to unalive me and my trans sisters & brothers. And in the last half decade, I’ve witnessed us grow stronger, burn brighter, and exude power like nothing I’ve ever seen before.

They try to label us as deluded, ill, predatory, and dangerous. That somehow we have appeared out of thin air to threaten their children, and especially their daughters.

In reality, the only thing we threaten is their ability to oppress. The real reason that they fear us so much comes not from a place of misunderstanding, but a deep awareness that we threaten the most powerful position of privilege.

Masculinity is a privilege so valued in our society that it cuts across race, ability, and affluence. It transcends borders and is spoken through brutality in every language.

Trans people are a danger to them because we look at the violence of patriarchy and boldly proclaim our rejection of it. Trans men and mascs look at patriarchy and redefine it as a healthy masculinity capable of protecting and uplifting those around them. And trans femmes hold that most precious power, examine it closely, and choose to discard it of our volition.

This rejection and reimagining devalues the power of the patriarchy and shows a world where everyone is free to live as they wish. Their envy and their hatred of us comes from a fear that one day they may lose their grip and that the pyramid that enables their ability to hoard power may crumble into dust.

Transgender people have always been here, and will always be despite their best efforts to convince the world otherwise. The dynamic and fluid nature of our bodies, the scars and pockmarks on our flesh represent our ability to shape-shift and reincarnate. To unshackle ourselves and live a life of authenticity that takes a grand courage that they will never know.

Today I honour my journey in this body, and pay tribute to each and every one of my ancestors who have paved the path for me towards this homecoming.