My name is Kate, it hasn't always been.

Once upon a time I was living in the confines of what I believed had been dealt to me in life. No matter how much I wished it was different, no matter how many time I would wake up and get to live a woman hood that I felt had been stolen by fate. This would lead to spiraling depression and anxiety, at the time I didn't realise what was the cause of the crippling feelings.

The feelings of desire to have been born in a different body were crammed down deep, buried deep inside me, every now and again that box would leak and a sad longing would arise, I would get sad, cry to myself, and every night wish that that would be my last night.

I would never feel like I fit in with the lads, like a force field was erected between us, but with the ladies, sipping wine, dishing T, looking at clothes, (and this is not to limit womanhood to just these things, these were just things that I felt comfortable doing compared to living as a man doing traditionally masculine things) in these times I was part of the collective, no divide in feeling.

Maybe I was Bi/Gay? Explored this but I was uncomfortable and still longing for something else. Still looking at the walking carcass of a body that never felt like mine.

Roll on Leeds. Roll on a new life in 2024. Roll on being out with the girls and saying "I'm like the clubbing dad" and them replying "No *Deadname* you're the clubbing mum". Roll on breaking down with friends and begging them to shave my beard of disguise from my face.

Several months later attending my doctor to get a 7 year ball rolling, having been publicly outed on January 18th before I had even been able to tell my parents, I begin presenting full time as a trans woman, using the name Kate 24/7. A few months later legally changing my name and a few months later starting HRT in the form of Estrogen and Testosterone blockers, and I was happy, the dysphoria not completely gone but feeling better.

I began doing my make up and sharing the progress on tik tok where I began getting a small and supportive following through Get Ready With Me (#GRWM) lives and creating a general safe place to help break down walls between the Cis and Trans worlds in some small way. Standing against the hate and anger and supporting other trans folk.

My hope is to over time further build that community. While working on becoming the woman I feel like on the inside on the outside and sharing that journey to help normalise things in some small way. Using that community helping others who can't afford the very expensive journey of transition, and like me, can't wait the GIC (Gender Clinic) or the NHS which only covers very basic aspects of the Trans journey.

Several people on Tik Tok asked that I set up a go fund me to get the ball rolling. Whether or not people help, my main hope is that we can help build a world where trans people and cis people live in harmony. Much love to all.

Funds will go towards: HRT, Facial Feminisation Surgery, Vocal Chord Surgery, down the line Vaginoplasty should the NHS still be behind. All aiding towards becoming externally who i know i am internally.