Content Warning: Genitals.
If you are bothered by the mention of genitals, please read with caution.
Photo Credit: PD4Pic
Caitlyn Jenner is practically a household name by now since her big gender related interview with Diane Sawyer 8 months ago. But Miss Jenner is not the only transgender woman taking over the world this year. 18 year old Nicole Maines from Maine is a MtF woman, identical twin, and total bad-ass.
Photo Credit: Melissa Jeltsen
When I read about Miss Maines in a Tumblr yesterday, I couldn't believe this was the first time I had heard of her. Well, scratch that. I had heard of her accomplishments, but never knew what name went with them.
When she was only in fifth grade, she fought against her school in what grew to be a huge transgender rights case when they refused to let her use the women's restroom - and won.
She appeared on an episode of Royal Pains, portraying a transgender woman having difficulty with her HRT.
She was the subject of a national best-selling book by Pulitzer Prize winner Amy Ellis Nutt, titled "Becoming Nicole: The Transformation of an American Family".
On top of these awesome accomplishments, she has also made great strides in her personal life and transition that makes her an inspiration for transwomen everywhere:
She legally changed her name as a child, and won the fight with her family against the court system to keep her personal information private despite other rules in place.
She began puberty blockers at age 12, and has since started taking hormones and has undergone bottom surgery.
On top of all that, she has lived her entire life with a conservative family and gives us a touching story about acceptance and unconditional love.
You can check out more of her story in this issue of People magazine that was released last month.
Keep on keeping on, Nicole! You are a true inspiration!
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Transgender: Someone whose gender identity does not align with the sex they were assigned at birth.
MtF/Transwomen: (Synonymous terms) Male to Female; A transgender woman
Transition: Typically thought of as the time someone stops identifying with the sex they were assigned at birth and starts identifying with their gender identity; may or may not include hormones, surgeries, etc; Can mean something different to every transgender person
Puberty Blockers: Medication used for pre-pubescent adolescents or those who have just began puberty; Used to inhibit the effects of puberty.
HRT: Hormone Replacement Therapy; Boosting the body's supply of specific hormones (typically estrogen or testosterone) through pills, gel, or shots to amplify the effects of that hormone on the body.
Bottom Surgery: Refers to one or many different surgeries that can be done on a persons genitals to reconstruct them for gender-validating purposes.
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