identity

Still, despite these positive aspects of labels, they can lead to limitations, enforce stereotypes and create difficulties when coming out to loved ones. 

As a 14-year-old female to male, or FTM, transgender teen, gender has taken on a necessary role in my everyday self-expression and identity.

In my mind, I had been and would always be the world’s best chameleon: I knew what people expected of me, and that’s exactly what I showed them.

I was both baptized and named before living 30 days on Earth, which meant my cross-religious identity was solidified before I could support the weight of my own head.

With every step I’ve taken towards reconciling with my identity, I’ve realized how much there is still to learn — or how much I’ll never be able to learn.

There is nothing impressive about pushing yourself to the point of no return — it is always braver to be vulnerable. Maybe it’s time that admitting when it’s hard, asking for help and practicing self-care become a part of who we are as UC Berkeley students.

Although matcha will forever remain in my heart, the shot of flavoring will vary depending on where I am in life, both literally and figuratively.

I looked at myself, decked out in the same brands that once eluded me, that once wielded such power over me. Is this what made me American?

As I continue to grapple with my emotions of letting go of my teenage era, here are pieces of a foundation I hope to set before reaching my roaring 20s. 

I found myself struggling to hold back tears as I stared at the elderly woman, a person who should have been completely unfamiliar.