Alex

Year of birth
1995

LGBT+?
Transgender (female to male/ftm)

Communication via
E-mail/ telefoon/ chat/ sms/ WhatsApp

Things I love
Having fun with friends, going on holiday, Netflix

Things I don’t like
Biking in the rain, busy trains

Speciality
Transgenders, social/medical transition, relationships.

My story
For as long as I could remember I felt my body did not belong to me. It felt like it was not mine. Though I never understood why. Then when I was 12 I saw a documentary on tv about transgender people and I recognized myself in their story. But it took me a while before I came out, when I was 18 decided to do something with the feelings I had about my body and applied to the gender clinics at the Vumc in Amsterdam. Now a couple I have been on testosterone for over 5 years. I have also had the mastectomy (chest surgery) and the hysterectomy.

Of course, the transition is not only about the medical aspect, but also on a social aspect. While transitioning I had varying responses on my coming out from family, friends and also strangers. Especially my parents needed some time to get used to it, but after a while they saw the transition made me a happier person which made it easier for them to accept too. Talking to other transgenders, other people who were going through the same and who understood me definitely made it easier for me. But also the fact that I became more and more myself gave me more confidence. While struggling with the dysphoria, I also always had doubts about my sexuality, and the transition made it more confusing for me, but through time and thanks to my transition I learnt to not focus so much on defining it because it would not matter to me who I would meet and who I would like. And now I even have a really sweet boyfriend.

Over the years I have been to several different (transgender) youth camps where I have met some of my best friends who happen to also be transgender. I therefore know how much it helps to meet others who understand you and know what you are going through and I am very happy that I can myself now, I wish others the same.