Ryan, Los Angeles, CA “My first AOL Instant Messenger screen name was ‘littlemanskier’. (Basil and Ryan laugh) … I mean I was a 6 year old! I grew up in Long Island and as a #kid I had no confidence at all. When the teacher would call on me at school, I would just start crying. No confidence at all... I also had no teeth. I think it was third or fourth grade that I had lost both of my front teeth at the same time. I’m emotional, so I was just basically always awkward and crying. I was still very #artistic though. I knew from age six that I wanted to be an artist, but I didn't know like what type of artist to be. At that point I had just started playing #guitar and I was awful at it. But my #mom kept encouraging me. She’s why I got better. But it was hard growing up because I had no self-assurance. I ended up evolving later on by meeting older LGBT kids when I was in High School. Around that time, I started figuring my #gender out. Even though my #parents didn’t support my transition, they supported the fact that I existed. That’s an important thing to distinguish. I went to school and I had a sandwich every day. Even if it was super uncomfortable and my parents and I weren’t talking at all, and I felt invisible, I didn’t get kicked out. So many trans people have a much different story and harder path. I am lucky for that.” Transilient: “Your new song ‘Daughter’ is about your father. The song touches on the struggle you two had during your transition, have you healed from that?” [CONTINUED IN COMMENTS] Follow the link in our bio to watch @ryancassata’s video for “Daughter”, also available on iTunes, and #SupportTransArtists. #RyanCassata is #MoreThanTrans #WeAreTransilient #Musician #Artist #Son #Transgender #Transman #Family #Father #Daughter #FathersDay #ftm #ftmmagazine #singersongwriter #lgbt #lgbtq #pride #transisbeautiful #activist #transactivist #topsurgery #transandinked (at Saint Paul, Minnesota)