One of the most-discussed talking points in identity politics is the issue of trans representation. Despite the strides Western society has made in recent years towards being more inclusive when it comes to trans citizens, many still feel that transgender people still have a long way to go before they are completely accepted.
According to a 2011 census by the Williams Institute, there are about 1.4 million people in the United States alone that identify as transgender. Among those 1.4 million, though, there are few positive transgender role models, and that slows the LQBT community’s integration into Western society.
With this in mind, it’s always significant when a transgendered individual manages to gain recognition online, as it provides a platform for LQBT issues to be discussed earnestly in an open forum. Jaimie Wilson proved an inspiration for other transgender people around the country, when he stunned the internet with his unbelievable gender transformation.
Jaimie Wilson is a transgender musician who has managed to accrue over 116,000 followers on his Instagram page by documenting his transition from female to male. He has included numerous before & after snaps, so his many fans can see just how dramatic his physical changes have been. Jaimie has now been through hormone treatment, as well as surgery, and has turned into quite the handsome hunk!
In one of his widely-shared images he writes: “You don’t have to pass a test to prove you’re trans… and you sure as hell don’t need anyone’s approval but your own.”
He added: “When I came out people refused to believe I was a man because of how ‘Feminine’ I presented for 18 years. So why am I posting this comparison? Because I want people to see it doesn’t matter what some looks like…if someone has the guts to tell you ‘I’m transgender’ ‘I’m gay’ ‘I’m bisexual’ anything like that please believe them and be there for them because stereotypes need to be broken.”
Jaimie also wrote in a separate post: “Don’t judge a book by its cover. I am posting this picture to show that not everyone has to show ‘signs’ to be transgender. This life is about finding yourself and becoming you. No one’s journey is the same … so stop comparing yourself to others.”
Tragically, Jaimie was disowned by his family after coming out to them as trans, something which has severely affected him ever since. “I miss having my family in my life. I miss my parents being proud of me”, he wrote in a recent Facebook post. “I don’t miss the nights I laid alone battling with my feelings…I don’t miss waiting for everyone to leave the house so I could put on masculine clothes and tuck my long hair under a hat… I don’t miss hiding.”
We hope that Jaimie will only gain more and more followers, and perhaps even inspire others to come to terms with their own gender dysphoria and take the steps to transition to the gender they want to be. However, this isn’t the first time a transgender person has become a hero online. Check out this heartwarming video of a trans teenager learning that they can finally go through hormone treatment.
