Identity is Destiny 

4/25/2016

BFI Flare, an LGBT film festival recently flew me overseas for the first public screening of REAL BOY.

Y'all I was sooooo nervous.

A lot of people have asked me if it's uncomfortable, 

watching my nineteen year old self navigate the beginning of my transition. 

Yes. it's weird. 

I was sad

and scared

and angry at everything and everyone that had conditioned me to feel ashamed of who I am.
 

~

 

I used to think that I was born in the wrong body. 

Now, I know that I was born to have this experience:

to learn to embrace a life in transition.

 

I believe that Identity is Destiny. 

and we are all given specific words to talk about our experiences 

labels to compartmentalize and share our point of view . 
 

These words, in a way,

end up shaping our perceptions 

of the experience itself. 
 

Let's open up that conversation a bit; 

and transcend this dichotomy, together. 

can we grow beyond the cultural confines 

of our associations with gender?
 

Nature loves variety. 

No body is the same. 
 

Lets celebrate 

our humanness

our individuality 

that which makes us unique 

and also 

our inherent mutuality 

that which keeps us connected 
 

The idea that this film might find its way into the hearts
and minds of people that need its message has been comforting.
I want this film to do good things for my community. 

I want the parents of gender variant children
to be empowered by my mom's journey through my transition,
so that they are determined to stand up and hold space for their beautiful kids. 

If this film can do that for somebody, then its worth it all. 

...

so yes, watching a really vulnerable part of my life  

projected on a screen for others to view & judge

is very uncomfortable 

but fuck it, so is growing.

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