They wanted to force me to be someone that I wasn't. They wanted me to delegitimize myself as a trans woman and I was not taking that. As a proud black trans woman, I was not going to allow the system to delegitimize, hyper-sexualize and take my identity away from me.

I've faced worse things in my life than prison

I would have rather been punished for asserting myself than become another victim of hatred.

Trans women are getting killed EVERYDAY & you think the struggle is over because you can put a ring on a finger?!

They wanted to force me to be someone that I wasn't. They wanted me to delegitimize myself as a trans woman and I was not taking that. As a proud black trans woman, I was not going to allow the system to delegitimize, hyper-sexualize and take my identity away from me.

We are all stronger, smarter, talented, beautiful, and more resilient than we were told.