I don't do much #OC (original content) here, but #diasporg is a delightful medium for presenting. You may have noticed I post a lot of memes about civil and human rights and ways to gain independence and personal freedom. Why would I set aside privilege gained from a deeply conservative family and a long senior career on this journey? I joined the internet in the early 1990's in college and finally a community on Reddit showed me I could transition and be myself. I am a #transgender woman.

I wish I had a choice, but from my earliest memories, I knew my path in life was going to be of a horrifically difficult minority. I was different growing up. Very different. It was crippling anxiety and when puberty hit, my back was on fire from the stress. I didn't have the language for it back then, but this was my journey. Some describe it as a homesickness, slight, but always aware of needing to find a path home. It never ever goes away unless we are on the path. I started physically transitioning 11 years ago and relieved that many don't have to wait decades and risk never having lived before we die. I look back and amazed how I survived.

Several years ago, I sought help socially transitioning as relearning habits and muscle memory from a lifetime of hormones has a great effect on how we present ourselves. Muscle memory profoundly composes our voice and facial appearance. Relearning how to walk those specific muscle groups dramatically changes the muscle tone of our face from masculine to feminine. It was hard.

My therapist introduced me to a group of transgender women that helped show me, "this is much easier than you think!" And they were right. These women were of my age, senior in careers and education, engineers, scientists, managers, and veteran military officers. We would have a large immediate circle of friends and transitioned fast. Most of us gave up the past life completely and quickly grew into our dreams. We helped each other when our families didn't and were able to advance in our careers. Many may see those who transition as weak, but our vulnerability allowed us to focus better on where we wanted to go in our careers.

Many have lost their families as their spouse may have been strictly heterosexual and as our bodies change, our smell and physical appearance does too. My ex told me that I "would not make a good looking woman" and emphasized she was straight. Even though she was an inspiration, we had to part ways so I could start my new life. Before puberty, I had been attracted to guys, but the hormones would turn my world upside down. But after all these years, I was able to overcome all that. I look back fondly at my dreams and memories, realizing I am fortunate have to made this journey and lived and not died.

So...if you see me posting memes about human rights, it's because I have a vested interest with everyone gaining freedom from oppression. I share a dark history on the front lines of political madness and one of the first victims of #fascism. If there's a war, it will find me first.