Hey, you.

The world feels crazy right now, right? How are you?

I wish someone had asked me that when I was a teenager. I still wish my dad would ask me more often. But really, how are you?

I'll tell you how I am.

Being trans right now feels scary. I feel seen, but not seen in a good way. I think you may know the feeling. Like how you feel when everyone's laughing at an inside joke and no one explains the punch line to you because that's part of the joke. Do you ever feel like that? Like a butt of a joke?

Even before every headline was about us, I was still scared. And now I feel like every look from a stranger could manifest into taunting, or worse. Do you feel that too? It's scary. And it breaks my heart that you have to carry that with you.

I know you've been told that it gets better. I mean, I'm 27 and I'm still here. And what I can tell yo is "it could get better" always bothered me. I didn't seem real. How can it possibly get better for all of us? I always thought? I'm black — when will it ever get better for me? I'm trans– when will society ever be ok with that? But see, the thing I have learned is, if you're hanging out with the right crowd, it does get better. I've learned that life has different seasons.

Every season has its good side and every season has its bad. Sometimes the winter is more tolerable than the summer and sometimes the summer is worse than the winter. The point is that they all pass. The sun, even on the hottest of days must set. And in result, you get a cool summer night breeze. And That's how overcoming the season of non-supportive groups is like.

Bullies.

The harsh words of bullies are like a sweltering summer day that never go away. But, if you notice, the summer is where you change clothes. You wear t-shirts that let your skin breathe and you adjust because you know the sun is not changing. And that sucks. But sometimes, in order for us to get to those beautiful summer nights, we gotta deal with the unbearable summer days. Those assholes are thoes types of days. It doesn't look like this administration is our friend. We don't have a friend in the White House anymore.

That's why we must fight.

And it doesn't take putting up your fist, but it does take lifting yourself up. It won't be easy. I promise you it's going to suck sometimes, but outside those walls you've got people fighting for you. We are calling our senators, we are screaming at the top of our lungs at rallies, and we're facilitating training for teachers — all so they can truly see you. We are fighting for you. And we aren't ever going to stop.

Sometimes things are amazing. You know like in the Fall? Where all you need is a hoodie? And every day is just right? Believe me, you'll have those days. And everything will be great, that's kind of what it felt like with Obama in office — sweater weather and hanging out.

But after Fall, winter comes. It's something you must prepare for every year. We're in winter right now. And no matter what the weather says, it's bitter out here for us. You won't be able to fight this blizzard alone and I know it might feel like that. Like you're the single snow plow trying to cover as much ground as possible. The thing is there are a million plows behind you. And together we are going to scoop up all of this snow.

Winter will be over soon and we will slip into Spring. But even with that warm front, we can't get comfortable. I know that sometimes the mirror is your worst enemy. It's mine ever so often. But do me a favor — look into it more often.

Look at yourself. Be proud of who you are. It might take a few moments. But you can't lose yourself, not now.

You exist because that's the best thing the universe could make. You are not an accident. You are an instance of magic, and people don't always understand magic. But that's their loss. I know we haven't met, but I see your magic and I will help you through these seasons.

If you believe in yourself, nothing else will matter. I believe in you, too.

I hope you're doing okay. I hope you remember that there are songs that exist that will lift you higher than any words any idiot in the back of the classroom can spew. I hope you're letting the sun in. I hope you are seeing the signs at protests all across the world that are in support of you. I hope you're reading this. I hope I can change this world for you. And I hope you grow and help me change it too.

Be well. Stay strong.

We are in this together. And I have your back forever.

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