#yai2013

This afternoon I spent some time getting to know a very powerful young man - who happened to be born a woman. 

Over the years I have met many transgendered women but I never met a transgender man and the experience has left me inspired. When we first met on Saturday I remember thinking, "Jesus that child is shy" and at just 17 years old I thought to myself, "He's in for a shock with all this activism!" Well I ate those words as fast as Paula Dean eats a stick of butter!

What I mistook for shyness was really a silent confidence and an acute mind. Imagine that you have to face a small town, your family and friends with the notion "I was not born in the right body" and before you are legally able to vote or drink make the life changing choice to start hormone treatment to become male. 

While your body goes trough a second puberty (yes that is daunting) , you have to deal with the social norms that you were born with flipped on its head. I felt as though he held my hand and gently lead me through an experience I could never normally fathom. 

Meeting people like him simply renew my resolve to keep on fighting for the human rights and sexual and reproductive health rights for everyone. Stories like his make me really gain perspective on getting up off your butt and changing the world so that everyone has the right to live the way they feel and the power of a single voice.

I love this Youth Action Institute - it never fails to give me perspective, knowledge and hope! 

Onto another day of activism with my new family!