- M
- J
Despite a million external "successes" in life, on April 10 I was still on the brink of taking my own life because every time I looked in the mirror I thought about how devastating it would be to live an entire life in the wrong body.
I thought back to 10-year old me, standing alone locked in a bathroom in an oversized bra and women's underwear, tears streaming down my face. Or 16-year old me pretending to be a girl in Yahoo chat rooms. Or 26-year old me, wondering if the dysphoria was ever going to end.
31 year old me, however, is ready to embrace my own truth, with pride. I'm trans.
There are thousands and thousands of people just like me, but, unfortunately, less fortunate than me. They struggle every day in despair, wondering if there will ever be light at the end of the tunnel. Many are homeless - kicked out by family, denied jobs by prejudice, left alone and hurting.
One of the people who helped pull me up and foist my newfound pride unto the world is Jake Rostovsky; in many ways I owe him my life. Jake is a trans man who lives every day out and proud. And Jake is the founder of a charity organization called "TUFF" (Trans United With Family and Friends) that is decicated to providing monetary assistance for transition to underprivileged, disadvantaged, down-and-out trans people.
12 year old me may have been struggling with gender identity, but 12 year old me also developed a life-long affinity for running. Long runs would help me escape the noises in my head. Races would help distract me from the confusion.
On July 31 I am running the Mexico City Half Marathon, my hardest race to date (13.1 miles at 8,000 feet!!!!!), and I'm asking you to support me, and thousands of other trans people in making a donation to help those less fortunate than me.
100% of your donation will go directly to TUFF to support transition costs for very deserving candidates (many of them homeless)! Help me give these people hope. And help me finish 13.1 miles at 1.5 miles above sea level!!
You already know that I will be eternally grateful.
(the website for TUFF is here: tufforg.com)
I thought back to 10-year old me, standing alone locked in a bathroom in an oversized bra and women's underwear, tears streaming down my face. Or 16-year old me pretending to be a girl in Yahoo chat rooms. Or 26-year old me, wondering if the dysphoria was ever going to end.
31 year old me, however, is ready to embrace my own truth, with pride. I'm trans.
There are thousands and thousands of people just like me, but, unfortunately, less fortunate than me. They struggle every day in despair, wondering if there will ever be light at the end of the tunnel. Many are homeless - kicked out by family, denied jobs by prejudice, left alone and hurting.
One of the people who helped pull me up and foist my newfound pride unto the world is Jake Rostovsky; in many ways I owe him my life. Jake is a trans man who lives every day out and proud. And Jake is the founder of a charity organization called "TUFF" (Trans United With Family and Friends) that is decicated to providing monetary assistance for transition to underprivileged, disadvantaged, down-and-out trans people.
12 year old me may have been struggling with gender identity, but 12 year old me also developed a life-long affinity for running. Long runs would help me escape the noises in my head. Races would help distract me from the confusion.
On July 31 I am running the Mexico City Half Marathon, my hardest race to date (13.1 miles at 8,000 feet!!!!!), and I'm asking you to support me, and thousands of other trans people in making a donation to help those less fortunate than me.
100% of your donation will go directly to TUFF to support transition costs for very deserving candidates (many of them homeless)! Help me give these people hope. And help me finish 13.1 miles at 1.5 miles above sea level!!
You already know that I will be eternally grateful.
(the website for TUFF is here: tufforg.com)
Organizer
Anonymous
Beneficiary