Alongside our #BeYourself campaign, from Sunday March 26 until Saturday April 1 2017, TENI’s second annual Trans Mental Health Week, TRANSforming Lives will be happening #TRANSformingLives17 . Along with the events organised by TENI (Trans Equality Network Ireland www.teni.ie), we will have a collection of blog posts from the various people across the Trans community who demonstrate the courage to be themselves and inspire others to be themselves. Addison (Addy) shares their story below and talks about coming out as Transgender and living her authentic life.
In a world where everyone is trying to be just like everyone else it has become very important to live authentically and be true to who you really are as a person. This is coming from someone who pretended to be gay to hide the fact that I was transgender throughout high school. Things would have been different, but a lot easier if I had just come out with the truth five years before I did. Being yourself may cause some tension or issues with friends or family, but the ones that really are your friends won’t care and will do their best to support you throughout your journey.
I only Came out about six months ago and since living authentically my entire life has improved immensely, Please don’t repress who you are as a person it will eat you up from the inside out. All the years that I hide who I was I was chronically depressed and barely holding on, It will be a difficult change in the beginning, but a weight will be lifted off your shoulders as you grow into the amazing authentic person you were meant to be. Just being true to myself I have found more and more of my friends and acquaintances being fully supportive of me in all ways. Please give yourself a chance at peace and happiness and live as your true self.
Addy is a writer and blogger, foodie and fitness junkie, find out more on Addison journey at www.Addisondmarko.com/