I noticed as soon as I...

can remember that I didn’t fit with in with the boys, but it took me until three years ago to figure out that I’m transgender. I wanted to come out because I felt I couldn’t be my authentic self when having to pretend my assigned gender role at birth. I became very uncomfortable with that role, but meanwhile also experienced gender euphoria when I was able to be my feminine self.
My fears were that my parents wouldn’t accept me, especially from my father’s side, and a lot of other people around me as well. And I feared that I would not pass as a woman and therefor would experience physical violence. It turns out that all people I have contact with, were accepting sooner or later. This includes my devout Muslim step-family, contrasting my prejudices I had on beforehand. On the streets people barely ever notice that I am transgender unless I bring my pride merch. It was the long time I had to wait for changing my passport that exposed, and bothered me the most, as it showed my deadname up to 1.5 year after coming out, as did the registration systems of many services and corporations.

Don’t let others dictate who you are and...

what you should be in life. Give yourself the room to explore who you are. There are countless of people who accept you for who you are, even people from whom you don’t expect that. Nobody is the same, and you don’t owe your identity, expression or orientation to anyone. My non-normative position does play a significantly role in my student life. I’m a member of DWH/Outsite, attending a lot, and organizing some activities with them, and I’m very open about myself being transgender. Being this open, I hope that it will inspire others to be their authentic selves as well. Being open, and thus able to answer questions from others, also paves a way for more understanding, and with understanding comes acceptance.