AUSTIN, Texas — March 31 is International Transgender Day of Visibility, a day dedicated to raising awareness of discrimination faced by people who are transgender.
Many states, including Texas, have introduced or passed legislation that advocates say targets the transgender community. In light of this, in Texas, some transgender folks are celebrating a little harder today.
Transgender teen Kayden Asher first came out when he was 13. His family asked him not to tell anyone, and he kept it to himself. When he was 15, he officially came out at school. That's when the school he attended called his dad, and it all went downhill from there.
"My relationship with my dad got a lot worse," said Asher. "He started to become a lot more abusive towards me because people were finding out I was trans and he didn't want anyone to know. He thought it would ruin his reputation."
Asher eventually ended up in foster care.
"While in foster care, I was out," he said. "But no one really believed me. They were like, 'Oh, you're just a tomboy.'"
At the age of 17, Asher received a gender dysphoria diagnosis. Gender dysphoria is defined as significant stress related to wanting to be of a different gender.
After months of trying and asking, two months before his 18th birthday, Asher began taking testosterone.
"The changes ... in my body have been really nice," he added. "It's really kind of euphoric to be able to see the changes happening and also like, look back at where I was a year ago and see how different I am because of it."
Since Asher began taking testosterone, he stopped taking anti-depressants. He said starting hormones helped his mental health.
While Asher is currently receiving treatment, many families worry their children can't do the same. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has asked the Texas Supreme Court to allow child-abuse investigations to resume for kids receiving gender-affirming care. This is the treatment a person receives to help their gender transition.
In light of this, Gin Pham with the Transgender Education Network of Texas said on a day like Transgender Day of Visibility, they all have to lean on each other.
"The amount of resilience and beauty that we've been able to show as trans folks not only in this state, across the country, and around the world," said Pham, "it's a way to be able to connect but also see the vibrance and the diversity in our community."
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