Born a girl, Lucas, a teenage high school student from Mayenne, decided to transition in 2020, at the age of 15. Supported by his family and friends, he decided to share his journey to offer support to other young people in search of identity.
Lucas’s childhood was like that of many little girls. “I wore dresses and played with Barbie dolls,” nothing suggested that he would one day undertake a change of identity. It was in 2020 that the young Mayenne native had the idea. “We always think that when we are trans, we know it from the time we are little. But I really knew it when I was a teenager, before that, I didn’t know what being transgender was.”
Lucas heard about it for the first time on a social network. “I met a trans man who explained to me what it was.” The young man had never really questioned his true identity. “I had always felt good as a girl. It was during adolescence and after puberty that I realized that I didn’t feel good about my body.”
Living in an environment of trust, Lucas decides to quickly tell his family. “My older brother has a trans friend, so I knew my parents had heard that word before.” He remembers the date perfectly, September 12, 2020. “I told my father first. There was my brother who was there, in case things went wrong. And he told my mother afterwards.“At first, they had a hard time understanding, “I told them I was attracted to girls, they thought it was linked to that.But once Lucas explained to them how he felt, they were extremely understanding. Lucas explains, “I have two older brothers and I was the only girl, I felt like I was taking something away from them.”
The reaction of those around them is often the first Source of apprehension for transgender people. Lucas confesses that it was his first worry. He realizes that the gaze of others can be difficult to face,
People can insult me or even worse, just because I assume who I am
After his entourage, Lucas announced his transition to his school. “I stayed in the same establishment. The educational team was incredible, they understood straight away.”
Physically, Lucas has been followed for three years by an endocrinologist. He takes testosterone injections every three weeks. “I was very afraid of the injections and injections, but since it’s a treatment that makes me feel good, I don’t feel like it’s heavy at all.” Just 18 years old, Lucas’s parents told him not to have surgery until he reached the age of majority so as not to regret it. He is now considering mastectomy.
Since the start of his transition, Lucas has not had to deal with transphobic comments and acts and decided to testify at his high school. “I’m lucky to be supported and to be able to talk about it freely and I tell myself that it can help some people to feel better, to see that it can also go well. Because we hear a lot of stories that go badly, but they can also go very well.”
The procedures were quite simple. What will be more difficult is the change of gender, going from F to M, you have to be 18 and go to court
Several associations support families with questions about sexual orientations and transidentity. Lucas contacted La Gom 53, an LGBTQI+ center located in Laval.
Article originally published in September 2023
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