Eel

Gender: Male

Pronouns: He / His / Him

Eel is a young trans guy. After struggling with his feelings about gender he was grateful to read a powerful story with a trans guy as the main character which he felt captured his own experience. This representation helped him come out to his friends, family and school who were all accepting.

At this time Eel also was referred to the waiting list at GIDS. He says the waiting is very long and added to the turmoil he felt coping with his gender identity without any professional support. When he did get to his appointments with GIDS he describes the healthcare professionals as very nice and I felt very like cared fo. However he feels that if he had the opportunity to access puberty blockers at the right time of going through puberty my mental health would be like a lot bette.

Eel is excited to hopefully start masculinising hormone therapy in the future. YouTube and online resources have been really helpful in visualising what the effects could be. Eel wishes that it was standard practice in the NHS to encourage staff to ask other peoples; pronouns.

Climbing and bouldering has been a great form of exercise and good for supporting his mental health. Eel says being from a working class family makes me feel like less valued as a person by the whole of societ especially when it comes to healthcare. He says LGBT youth groups were one of the first places where he felt like he belonge. Eel wishes teachers could be trained to be more empathetic with students exploring their gender and sexuality. Eel’s message to other trans young people is that you don’t have to prove to anyone you are trans because your identity is yours, you own i.

Eel wishes there was more information available about sexual health for queer people.

Age at interview 17

Eel talks about reaching GIDS at an age where he had “already gone through puberty” and “hormone blockers wouldn’t do anything”.

Age at interview 17

Eel talks about the trans character ‘Jules’ in the TV show ‘Euphoria’ and other trans representation in the media.

Age at interview 17

Eel explains how the doctor’s office can feel like a safe place’ when experiencing gender dysphoria.

Age at interview 17

Eel says he’s “gonna dress however I want… It’s my masculinity and I can do whatever I want with it.”

Age at interview 17

Eel discusses “peer pressure” and “drama” within the “young trans male YouTube community”.

Age at interview 17