Being trans starts with self-acceptance
August 27, 2019
<<< Start >>>
<<< End >>>
My first experience with discrimination was self-inflicted. It was not how others treated me; it was how I treated myself.
I was a handsome boy; everyone still tells me this. Now, I’m a transsexual girl. Recognizing my truth was a question of survival.
The main change is not about exterior image. It’s an interior question about your soul. The exterior image can be easy to achieve, even without surgery. I believe that no one becomes trans; it is how you are born. When you first find the courage to accept this truth, you keep it to yourself instead of sharing it with the world. For me, it was a precious secret that gave me the possibility of starting a fascinating, full-of-emotions and happy journey.
I knew at an early age.
I started struggling with my image in kindergarten. Often mocked for being too kind, I was the classic example of being a boy and a girl at the same time. Other boys were the first to tell me, “You cannot play with us; you have long hair. You look like a girl. You have to stay with girls, and play with dolls, not with the ball.” I won’t ever forget.
The child with long hair first blossomed into a very restless teenager. He then became what you have in front of you now. The photo to the right is of me and my dad.
Today, I’m a Legal Account Executive at Accenture. I work as the legal and commercial advisor at the intersection of law and technology. I’ve spent my life on study and work, earning my first degree in economics at the age of 23.
Soon after, I enrolled in university to work on my second degree in law while working at the same time. In the daytime, I worked at the office. In the evening, I spent my free time studying. I finished my law degree at the age of 29.
While the road to acceptance has not always been an easy one, I’m grateful to the close friends, colleagues and co-workers who value my contributions at work, especially knowing that I can bring my whole self to work. My supervisors and leadership have always been lovely; they have always protected and defended me. They have invested heavily in my professional and personal growth.
Free to be me
My testimony is a positive one. One that I hope gives a glimmer of hope to the list of stories of daily desperation and incurable discomforts. Transsexualism is not about degradation, moral abandonment or just a story on TV. Transsexualism is about people like me—people who are perfectly integrated into society.
Though I changed my appearance to live more authentically, I’m still the same person. I love. I pray. And I believe that God accepts me for the person who I am. The structure of my emotions is still the same. The only difference is that now I don’t feel imprisoned in my body. I feel free to be me.
My advice
Always be yourself. Never be afraid to live your life.
Ready to be yourself and make a difference? Find an opportunity with Accenture, today.
Copyright © 2019 Accenture. All rights reserved. Accenture, its logo, and New Applied Now are trademarks of Accenture.
