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Please now pause in your doomscrolling and allow me to provide you with some trans joy:
This is me. I'm trans and I just Really like churches. Sometimes I climb up them because I insist upon living my best life.
Sometimes my friends and I explore churches together. Because we're all just queer nerds who aren't as scared of heights as we should be.
Sometimes I get to look after my friends pets, both large and small.
Mostly, however, I lurk in churches (do the thing you love. If it's weird, even better.)
Along the way I wrote some stuff for some books. I'm in nine now. This is my latest poetry collection.
It's an honour to be able to do what I love. To write and teach and speak.
It's an honour to be able to do what I love. To write and teach and speak.
I'm 23, and started my transition five years ago. And I've lived more in those five years than in the eighteen years before.
I've been published over and over again; done a TED talk; spoken in the houses of parliament; performed on vast stages in multiple countries; formed incredible friendships; built a new family; found a religion; gained a degree.
I've lived. That's all I ever wanted.
To live.
I've lived. That's all I ever wanted.
To live.
Because of the way the world treats us, being trans so often seems like a burden - but it's not. Not really. Being trans, knowing yourself and being willing to put everything on the line in a hostile world to be entirely, truthfully, honestly who you are - is an incredible gift.
I have been through Some Shit, in those five years. But I wouldn't be cis, not for anything.
Can't believe I forgot to mention that my first foray into children's poetry was Highly Commended at the UK's biggest children's poetry award, and my latest book is nominated for a Carnegie Medal, the UK's "oldest and most prestigious children's book award" (their description).
Being trans doesn't mean not pursuing your dreams - nor does it mean not succeeding. It might be unfairly and unnecessarily hard, but I believe in all of you.
(I've been told to add a buy link for the book - it's here - it's poetry for teens and young adults (and anyone who thinks poetry isn't for them) https://jayhulme.com/shop/cccu )
