Understanding 'Squiggly Journeys' for Trans+ Awareness Week, Pt 2 of 7

Life began in Belfast during the Troubles, and for our family, the conflict was all too close. One day, 3 men in black masks came to our door telling my father, who was English, who he could and couldn't be friends with because he had Catholic friends. And that moment brought the Troubles directly to our home, and within 30 days, we were living in Canada. Now, as a child of 6 years old, adapting to Canada meant learning to speak Canadian and to fit in. And soon enough, my accent faded, my sense of belonging grew, and I was taking on a new culture as my own. And in many ways, this was just the beginning of my journey in adapting to different identities, a journey that would shape who I am in ways that I could never imagine.