Damian (she/they), told us about the first time she heard the word "trans" and about living in secrecy due to people's fear and prejudice around.

“I wanted to share with you something I experienced as a trans person. When I was young, I used to imagine myself growing up as a girl. I didn't know why I felt this way. This feeling stayed with me throughout my childhood, that I am a female, that I am a girl. The first time I heard the word "trans" was when I was 16 years old. I was happy to know that what I am going through has a name and that there are people like me. I also knew that my life wouldn't be easy in the society I was in. I lost my family, I lost my friends. I experienced physical violence and threats from people close to me. The hardest thing is living in hiding. This is caused by the fear and intimidation I faced.We need to live in safety, to be able to walk on the streets without being humiliated. These are our basic rights.”