Storytelling: Inside out: Transgender stories
There is no one narrative for transgender people. Some know as young children that their body and gender don't match. Others struggle throughout their teen years and into adulthood.
It takes courage, acceptance of self and determination to live life as your true authentic self. So often, members of the transgender community are portrayed as spectacles and "othered."
This essay aims to break down the barriers between cis-gender and transgender communities, celebrating and honoring those who have transitioned or are in the process.
![Madisyn Artemesia DelPorto, 28, of Portland, says she she presented as {quote}a super gender queer, nonbinary person for years.{quote} She then {quote}gradually wandered further and further into femininity and eventually started HRT [hormone replacement therapy] and found that the most comfortable place for me to live my life was as a woman.{quote}Kristyna Wentz-Graff/Staff](http://cdn.lightgalleries.net/4bd5ec13bc248/images/2016_0513_trans_portraits5306_thumb-1.jpg)
![Alexandra Steel, 62, says contrary to what you might think, she found transitioning in a small town quite easy. Steel resides in Manzanita, with a population of just over 600. {quote}Folks are curious of course. Someone might label it nosy, but I don’t feel that way. I’m pretty darn willing to talk about anything. It’s up to them to hit the TMI [too much information] button and say 'stop'. But it’s been great.{quote}Kristyna Wentz-Graff](http://cdn.lightgalleries.net/4bd5ec13bc248/images/2016_0513_trans_portraits5317_thumb-1.jpg)
