Colter Alexander, a 24-year-old transgender man from Denver, CO., knew at the age of 8 that he wasn't in the right body, but the continued stigma against transgender people meant that it took him until age 20 to identify as a man.
"Since I was a kid, my brain has always yelled 'male,' trapped in this weird bird cage that curves wrong," he told the Daily Mail. "It was time I put myself first."
For the past four years, he has been transitioning with the help of testosterone.
"I made the change because the more I looked in the mirror, the more depressed I became," he told the Daily Mail. "My life was at a standstill and I don't do well stagnant."
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Alexander posts photos of himself to his Instagram page that offer a look into his life as he transitions, often sharing photos of himself shirtless with his breasts taped.
Alexander told the Daily Mail that beginning the transition process, particularly testosterone treatment, has "changed [his] life 100%."
"It has boosted my confidence; allowed me to start seeing my true identity in the mirror and given me that mental boost my depression had been stripping me of," he said. "It's not a cure at all and there are still plenty of days when I struggle with dysphoria, but it has helped me set my life in the right direction."
Though it hasn't been easy coming out to his family, Alexander has been able to find support in his wife, who he met months after starting testosterone.
"She helped me every night [when] my frustration with myself got too much to bear and continues to help me grow," he told the Daily Mail. "I never knew true happiness until I met someone who supported me through every trial."
Though it hasn't been easy, Alexander said that he's "learned to love parts of [himself] [he] may have never discovered before," and wants anyone who may be considering transition to know that they are worthy of putting themselves first — whatever that may mean.
"To anyone transitioning or thinking about transitioning; live your truest self," he told the Daily Mail. "Put yourself first and worry about other people's reactions later. You'll learn who you want to have in your life.'
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