Stories of Bravery  Back to Stories of Bravery

Tori from Washington

After pondering the classic meaning of "bravery," I must conclude that beyond standing up in the face of a dangerous situation, it is indeed more about standing up to yourself.

Being raised by parents with conservative traditional values, I was not able to admit (even to myself) that I am transgendered, but was very much aware of the fact that I was different than other kids around me. Reconciling my female self with my male body is the result of many years of torment and tears, and no one—even those closest to me—knew my pain. I was trapped between what my parents expected of a son, what "God" meant for me to do, and who I truly was. It took me over two decades of soul-searching and self-discovery to even get to the point where I could admit it to myself that I am a woman who nature played a cruel trick on by trapping her in a man's body.

I got to the point where I could be comfortable cross-dressing (even in public), but it really wasn't enough. When I heard Lady Gaga's song "Born This Way," she inspired me. I've loved her since I first heard her music, but this song became an anthem. I'm now actively pursuing my transition - to make my body finally match my soul. I've been living as a woman since March of 2011, and even my conservative mother calls me her daughter and is proud of me.

What is bravery?

Bravery is being true to oneself in the face of everything that opposes you. It's acting out in spite of whatever seeks to bring you down. Lady Gaga inspires this. She will always be my hero.