Honoring Trans Struggle on Trans Day of Resilience

Lexi Chace Blocked Unblock Follow Following Nov 20, 2016 Unlisted

I broke down last night.

I left Atlanta today to spend a week at home with my bio family, but last night I was desperately searching the internet to find real family in Valdosta.

The first thing I saw was an article about a trans woman who had been raped and beaten by three men. The article was horrifying — every media outlet in the area seems hell-bent on misgendering her and erasing her identity.

It hit too close to home. I lost it — I sobbed.

If you’re a trans person, you’ve got to be twice as strong as every body else just to survive. Three times if you’re a trans girl.

I am strong. I mask fear in defiance — I channel it into my survival.

But I am tired. I am tired when being tired doesn’t feel like an option. If I don’t go out strong everyday, who is gonna do it for me?

I’ve gotta wake up and live my life. I gotta be strong to love myself even when I can’t go on. Even if society would rather have me dead. My defiance is self-love, period. My resistance is survival.