“Being trans at Longwood … I think this is a safer place to be trans because everyone around here is accepting – I’ve only run into one person who has not been accepting – and it’s even better because we have some other people who are also trans on campus who can help to mentor you.
It’s just a really big family around here, and if they have an opinion that differs from yours, they’ll keep it to themselves. They understand and respect that you need to be respected … It’s one of those things where it’s such a big deal to deal with the dysphoria and be a man in a woman’s body or a woman in a man’s body, it doesn’t take over, but it’s certainly a big part of you because it does take up a lot of your day whether it’s in a bad way like dysphoria or in a good way like getting to educate people.
It definitely becomes a big part of you, but it’s all connected with everything else too. It’s not like breathing; it’s more like it becomes part of your personality … We are just like everybody else. It’s not like we’re here to prey on you, I promise. We’re not trying to convert you to being trans. I promise that’s not what we’re trying to do. We’re trying to live our lives just like you.”
