Trans incidences. God made me born a woman to become a better man

Testimony from Alex from Bari

My name is Alex and I'm a twenty-one year old trans guy. I am currently a student. I am attending an ITS course on the management of multifunctional activities in agricultural companies such as agritourisms.

I have recognized myself as a man since the age of three, when I began to reject all clothing attributed to the female gender.

Since I was a child I was a very believer and practitioner. In fact, I believed that the Lord had given me a female body to "test me" or simply to grow as a more open and inclusive person than I would have been if he had given me the male body in which I recognized myself.

I have been a scout since the age of eight. Thanks to this path I have grown as a person. I wouldn't be the way I am now in character without having had the scout experience behind me. The relationships I have built, the skills I have acquired and the challenges I have experienced have made me the man I am now.

They welcomed me into my Agesci community of Bari 1 as "Alessandra, the tender paw" and I left as "Alex, the Elder Rover".

The people belonging to the scouting associations, especially in my group, raised me as one of their own, and when I came out in the summer of 2020 they welcomed me with a tighter "hug".

None of them have ever misgendered me. They were more willing to have a dialogue with me and were more inclusive towards me. Especially the members of the Capi Community and the parish priest, Don Gerry, who has been the Spiritual Guide of the group since 2012, with whom I found myself forming stronger bonds.

Now I'm building my future. It all started in 2021 when I obtained the Cambridge B2 English certification, I started hormone therapy, I graduated, I got the B2 driving license, I passed the selection exam to enter the ITS course and I increased my relationships.

This year I completed quite a few routes:

● I left the AGESCI scout community

● I got dental implants after thirteen years of waiting

● I have completed the legal process for document rectification

● I have completed the internship period

● I will soon conclude my training course within the ITS Agroalimentare Puglia Foundation

● I attended my last 18th birthday for the time being

● And unfortunately many years of relationships with people I still care about have broken down.

My life, like that of all people, is made up of ups and downs, successes and failures. Trans people are ordinary people. They don't live in a parallel world.

When I worked for a call center, only the owner knew my legal name. The same in the internship company, theFriendship Farmhouse. I've connected with so many people who don't even know I'm a trans guy. I love these people and they love me.

I am an ordinary individual, any. I don't live in another universe. Trans subjectivities have always been integrated into societies throughout history. But many who did not manage to "pass" were discriminated against.

Transgenderism and intersexism are facets of human biology and genetics. Just think about the berdache and at passing women Americans, to Hijra of ancient India, to eunuch priests in ancient Greece, i guevedoces of the Dominican Republic, Papua New Guinea, Türkiye and Egypt.

People like Albert Cashier, buried in October 1915 with his uniform despite his biological sex having been discovered, Billy Tipton who became a famous jazz musician, the theater actress Christine Jorgensen, the activist Sylvia Rivera, have been successful in their lives and were remembered by family and friends, and also by the international human community.

The victims of transphobia, who are registered every year by the Project for monitoring the murders of trans people and whose data are published by Transgender Europe, belong to human society all over the world and as such I believe it is appropriate that they be recognized and remembered by all us.

* Testimonial collected thanksas part of the “Born twice” project, with which the volunteers of Jonathan Project they want to tell the journey of faith of transgender people and their families. In May 2025, on the occasion of thePrayer vigils to overcome homotransbiphobia, some of these stories will be collected by Jonathan's tent in a free printed booklet that will tell the story of the faith journeys of transgender, Catholic and evangelical people, and their families in the various churches. A collection of testimonies with which we want to weave a bridge of knowledge between these two often distant worlds, to help break down walls and prejudices. To read the testimonies we have already collected click onhttps://www.gionata.org/tag/nati-due-volte/. If you want to add yours, write to tendedigionata@gmail.com Word of mouth