As trans and genderqueer people we often become so focused on our social, mental and physical transitions that they grow to be larger than life. So much so that we forget that a transition is just another word for a shift. A shift in thinking, a shift in geography, a shift in expectations, a shift in marital status or family size. They all affect us as human beings and they are yet another layer to our complex lives as trans*, gender queer, and queer people. And when we forget, it makes it that much easier for people outside our community to see us as just the sum of our surgeries.
Tonight’s guest is Nicholas Durand. Nicholas is 27 years old, and was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in early 2013. A gay trans man living in Virginia, he is now the facilitator of DCATS and is an advocate for both LGBTQ+ and disability rights.