soul meets body.

Rife // 32 trans / nonbinary / neurodivergent [he/him/his] t date: 4.21.15 // top surgery: 11.1.16

[appalachiangenderblendr]

Trans Day of Visibility.

To be honest, I’ve been struggling to come up with something to say about this. Not because I’m ashamed, or that I don’t still love being trans. I do, and I will never let any of you forget it.

But everyone I know is struggling. I’m struggling. There’s so many parts of this world that break my heart, more and more every day. I’m tired.

And I think, sometimes, we marginalized folks can’t all carry the torch, all of the time, for everything.

It’s exhausting.

This time, this Trans Day of Visibility isn’t for my cis friends. It isn’t a place to make a spectacle of myself hoping I might change a few minds.

It’s for my trans family. My husband. Every other queer who’s struggling, too.

We make it through, together.

Sometimes that’s the best we can do.

[appalachiangenderblendr]

Grateful for the ways the last year brought me a comfort in my body I thought I’d never know. Grateful to have grown beyond disordered eating and toxic thought patterns. Grateful I see less and less value placed on thinness every day.

I’ve spent much of the past several years curating my sphere and it has brought me so much peace. It’s the only cleanse you’ll ever see me recommend. Hoping you all see the same blessings in 2020. ✌️

1.12.2020, approaching 5 years on t and over 3 years post top surgery.

[howtocreatehappy]

The winner of my 1K portrait competition was @rife.t.revell !!! Such a pleasure to draw such a beautiful picture :) thank you to everyone who has helped me reach 1k followers on here in just under 5 months!

#queerart #illustration #topsurgery #artistsoninstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/B6N_o_kjLIU/?igshid=8867pous39ix

[appalachiangenderblendr]

I had the distinct honor to be drawn by this lovely human. Leo focuses a lot on trans and fat bodies in his art, and he’s helped me feel like a work of art in my own skin.

We are here and we are beautiful.

[appalachiangenderblendr]

I’d like to take a moment to submit a formal apology to my soft parts because they kept me warm when I was trying to freeze to death, and I hated them for it. (ashe vernon)

11.20.19 // four and a half years on t // three years post top surgery

[appalachiangenderblendr]

i’m longing for some change, love, so let’s turn these walls to open space. (tobias carshey)

8.3.19 feat. my boy, @hangonkid [he/him]

[thestonedphilosopher]

This has been a confusing journey. A year ago, I was falling for someone, extremely unintentionally, and learning more about myself every day because of it. I was finally becoming my own human being. I was trying to put myself first in a way that I never had before. It was a struggle, pushing against the person I’d spent 24 years building. I’m so glad that I did.

My name is Phoenix, and I am trans and non-binary. I have no idea where this journey is going to take me, but I’m so excited to be on it. I don’t know if I want to medically transition, or what pronouns I’m most comfortable with. But I don’t have to have any of those answers right now. I’m learning to trust myself, and the natural timing of things. To just take the time to be where I am. To breath.

This is going to be a long and sometimes difficult road, but there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.

[appalachiangenderblendr]

Introducing my lovely partner/boyfriend! It’s been such an honor to be a safe space for him to process and explore this, and only solidifies my conviction that it’s easy. 💜💛

[appalachiangenderblendr]

facial hair is slowly creeping up!

12.2017 // 5.2019

[appalachiangenderblendr]

Trans Day of Visibility

2015 // 2016 // 2017 // 2018 // 2019

Visibility matters. Representation matters. I’m out here being loud and proud so that someday everyone can be so lucky. It does get better, I promise. I look back on each of these photos and know that I’ve still come so far from who I was when I started this journey. I know things have been so hard this past year. I’m in the trenches with you. Together, we will keep growing a better future.

[appalachiangenderblendr]

Don’t worry about your body. It isn’t as small as it once was, but honestly, the world needs more of you. You look in the mirror like you’ve done something wrong, but you are perfect. Anyone who says otherwise is telling a lie to make you feel weak. And you know better. You have survived every single day for as long as you’ve been alive. You could spit fire if you wanted.

(clementine von radics)

1.9.19 // three and a half years on t.

[appalachiangenderblendr]

I’m not sure what to say about struggle except that it feels like a long dark tunnel with no light at the end. You never really notice until it’s over how it changes you, and there is no going back. We struggled a lot this year. To everyone who picked a fight with life and got the shit kicked out of them: I’m proud of you for surviving.

(clementine von radics)

12.2.18 // three and a half years on t.

[appalachiangenderblendr]

oops, I did it again. (britney spears)

feat. patch by @tender-ghost

10.24.18 // three and a half years on t.

[appalachiangenderblendr]

After four years of running this blog under @twentysomethingtransman, I’ve made the decision to change my username; the inaccuracy of my old one has felt like a pair of shoes too small for a while now. I hope you’ll all continue to follow my journey under this new handle. 😌💕

[appalachiangenderblendr]

the leaves are all falling like they’re falling in love with the ground. 🍁

(andrea gibson)

10.11.18 // three and a half years on t // red river gorge, ky

[appalachiangenderblendr]

put your ear to the sky and listen my darling, everything whispers I love you.

9.16.18 // three and a half years on t // sevierville, tn

[appalachiangenderblendr]

April 2017 // September 2018

two years on t & five months post op vs. three and a half years on t & nearly two years post op

[appalachiangenderblendr]

I wanna watch all my bridges burn stand in the rain 'til the page is turned I wanna leave everything that hurts never go back to the way we were set it on fire, baby, watch it burn

(needtobreathe)

9.13.18 // three and a half years on t.

[appalachiangenderblendr]

I believe in gentleness. Lord, I believe in light. I am my own higher power. I will carry myself out.

(sierra demulder)

9.9.18 // three and a half years on t.