*This is the second story of our Trans Visibility Series, which centers the lived experiences of trans and gender-expansive young people while connecting those stories to relevant research and data. Read the previous story in our series here, and learn more about this series or to submit your own story, click here.

My name is Marshall. I’m 17. I’ve lived in Texas my entire life. 

I like spending time with my pets, eating good food, and doing my homework when I’m done procrastinating. I live in Texas. I’m also transgender. I’m a transgender male. I think I’m a pretty normal kid, I’ve known who I was since I was 12. 

My identity isn’t really a big part of me. I unfortunately live in a state that makes it a real-big deal though. According to Movement Advancement Project’s (MAP) tracking of over 50 LGBTQ+ related laws and policies across the United States, Texas has over 252,000 LGBTQ youth ages 13–17 and more than 1.3 million LGBTQ adults, yet the state has some of the lowest legal protections for LGBTQ people in the country. For example, Texas’ gender identity policy score is -8 out of 26, indicating negative legal protections for transgender residents. Living in a society and state that passes policies against my wellbeing is really bad, to say the least. There are laws that say I can’t be called by my preferred name or pronouns, and they restrict access to gender-affirming care for minors. 

I live in a pretty big city that’s progressive, so I don’t face as much scrutiny even though the state oppresses people like me. I remember cutting my hair short, buying boy clothes to conform, and changing my name. It feels really nice and comfortable to be able to go out in public life and be recognized for who I am and how I feel inside. Research shows that using a chosen name in multiple contexts can reduce suicidal ideation by 29% and suicidal behavior by 56% . 

Luckily, my teachers and mom are supportive. They’re my biggest allies; calling me by my preferred name and making sure they acknowledge me for who I am. I never had to worry about a teacher or any instructor saying, “Hey, I can’t call you that.” Being able to be called by a name that reflects who I am, being called by certain pronouns, just really gives me a quality of life that I feel like I can hold on to and is worth living. and fFamily acceptance has been shown to significantly reduce rates of depression and suicide attempts among LGBTQ+ youth, research by Born This Way Foundation and Hopelab shows. In fact, using a chosen name in multiple contexts can reduce suicidal ideation by 29% and suicidal behavior by 56%.

I haven’t physically transitioned yet, because my state prohibits that. But being surrounded by people who support me, affirm me in ways that reflect who I am inside, and just overall make sure I feel affirmed alleviates this incessant need to make sure my body reflects how I feel. Socially transitioning has saved my life, and research even shows that socially transitioned transgender youth have levels of self-worth and depression comparable to non-transgender peers, so it’s important to support people like me. 

Five years later, it’s honestly the people around me that have kept me here. Calling someone by their preferred name is life-saving. Using correct pronouns is gender-affirming. And making sure trans kids are protected is changemaking. Studies show that transgender youth with strong pride and community connection report flourishing and lower rates of depression. A world kinder, protective, and most of all safe for transgender and gender nonconforming people is possible.