I thought, transgender people are much worse off than I am. That's why they're willing to risk everything to be who they are. But the older I got, the harder it got to stay in my body.

Being self-supporting is important to me.

I felt like one of the boys. My friends were boys. In school I related to boys.

Deep down, my mom had long suspected I was gay... Much of her anger and hurt came from her sense of betrayal that she was the last to be told.

As you get older it's more confusing. Suddenly, there's more pressure to fit in to your assigned gender.

I had felt uncomfortable as a woman my whole life.

What mom cares about most is that I'm happy, healthy and enjoying my life.