[Chase, 22]

For me, starting puberty was probably  like, the driving point of coming out  
So I knew that these changes I was going  through, they felt wrong, I knew that something wasn't right. For me, growing up, I didn't know anyone who was openly trans or gender diverse, so I really had to be the one to pave my own way.

[How did you approach coming out?]

So I was 14 when I first came out to my  parents as transgender. Then I eventually just told [my mum] like, 'I'm just like the people from the videos, like you know I'm a boy. I'm transgender.'

That's the point where I also  began socially transitioning. So for me I'd describe social transition as you know eventually like coming out and starting to  
live as your identified gender so that means for me, like coming out, like changing my name to Chase, going by he/him pronouns, like wearing the boys uniform, like having my hair short and that kind of thing.

But it's more about changing your outer  appearance. Through my high school, I was stealth, which means that I didn't tell anyone that I was trans but you know at that stage it was ultimately my decision, I could choose who I choose and choose not to come out to.

[How did you get support?]

So after coming out, I found some support through local support groups that were for LGBT youth.

We also had a really good school psychologist that I'm still in touch with today that I was able to talk through about things and get support and kind of just have someone there that you know I could go if I need to.

My relationship with my parents I  think has improved ultimately because I think for me if my parents hadn't been supportive I would have had a completely different journey. 

In a way, I had to like be the ones to let them in, kind of you know show them who I was, who I truly was and what I wanted. So I think even though at first it was very stressful, I think as a whole it kind of made us stronger and  made us more educated and ultimately happier, so I think it has had an overall  positive effect in our relationship.

[What are the best parts about coming out?]

So I found one of the best parts coming out is joining the LGBT community. For me, I've always been very shy and reserved, so in the beginning I didn't find it very helpful, but yeah as I  kept going, I kept putting myself out there  so I started meeting new people and making friends.

The other most rewarding thing I found in coming out is being able to you know finally live as my true self, like you know, wearing what I want, having my hair  
what I want, and then when I started like the  medical side, like seeing my body change the way I want. 

Feeling more comfortable in myself, you know, becoming more of myself and  
just seeing myself you know just become the person that I've always wanted to be.