Preface

Have you ever looked at someone online and thought, "Why can't I be there already?" Transition timelines can feel like races we're all losing—until you realize everyone’s running a different course.

Social media makes it seem like one day we just woke up like this, but every trans journey is layered with unseen struggle, discovery, and growth. I chose a few photos that represent pivotal moments in my transition—everyone’s path looks different, and I hope sharing mine helps you feel seen in yours.

I feel incredibly lucky as a trans woman. I grew up in an accepting area with a supportive family, which gave me space to explore my gender freely. Not everyone has that privilege, and I don’t take it for granted.

No matter where you are in your transition, know this: you are strong, capable, and deeply loved. <3

Summer of Drag 2018

In 2018, I was still living in Bellingham—a sleepy college town near the Canadian border in Washington State. I had dropped out of school and found a community of queer friends who made me feel seen and loved in a way I hadn’t experienced before. We partied hard—blacking out, spending our last dollars on weed, and binging RuPaul’s Drag Race like it was scripture.

Some of my friends started performing at Rumors, the local gay bar. I started doing drag partly to stay inside without getting kicked out for being too drunk. But it quickly became more than that.

Daytime Cross Dressing Begins (Summer 2018)

I quickly realized my favorite part of drag was wearing woman’s clothes and feeling beautiful. I would borrow my friends clothes and started experimenting. Slowly my clothes became more feminine.

This period of life I struggled a lot with alcohol and depression but during this summer once I started embracing myself more I was happier. I felt lighter for the first time in a while.

Holy Shit, I’m Trans (January 2019)

After the summer, I moved in with my best friend’s family in a small, rural town outside Everett. I was too scared to go home—too scared of losing the little freedom I had carved out.

I jokingly referred to myself as she in the third person, but my hair was growing out, and I wore makeup every day. Then two friends from my restaurant job casually said, “We’re gonna start calling you she.” And I just said, okay

My First Time in New York (March 2020)

Bad makeup alert: my 80s goth phase was rough. But going to New York for the first time? Life-changing.

The energy was like nothing I had ever experienced—alive, electric, and undeniable. I knew, in my bones, that I had to live there.

My first days on HRT (April 2020)

Not long after coming out I moved in with my aunt in Tacoma. I was dressing feminine but I was still closeted with my dad.

I referred to myself as non binary but I realized as I was aging my face was becoming more masculine. I also was drinking a lot and not eating well.

My dysphoria started to get bad so I booked an informed consent consultation at Planned Parenthood.

This next photo of me isn’t glamorous but its a real part of transitioning.

Starting HRT coincided with going offline for most of 2020—one of the most peaceful periods of my life. I wandered graveyards, studied art and fashion history, and reconnected with my family, who accepted me even when they didn’t fully understand me

My Pixie Cut/OnlyFans Era (December 2020)

A haircut disaster courtesy of my cousin left me with a pixie cut (she was high—like, really high). Around the same time, I ventured into sex work to save money for New York.

Within two months, I had made it into the top 1% of OnlyFans creators.

One Year on HRT (May 2021)

This was taken a year into HRT—fresh in New York, boobs looking great (they were bigger back then, sigh). I had cut my hair short and was trying to grow it back, but I felt cute.

Full Service Sex Work (May 2022)

I started working at Louis Vuitton when I first moved to New York. It was glamorous—until it wasn’t. Low pay, long hours, and burnout led me to a breaking point.

Desperate and exhausted, I turned to escorting to survive.

First Bleach Out (June 2022)

With extra income, I finally went blonde—a moment that felt pivotal for my self-image. But despite the outward glow-up, my mental health deteriorated. I struggled with suicidal ideation daily.

The Year of the Hot Girl Walk (May 2023)

By early 2023, I knew I had to change. My social anxiety was so severe I barely left my apartment. So, I committed to walking every day, and slowly, I began to heal.

Hair Extensions (July 2023)

This was a huge step in my transition. I had always been self-conscious about my hair, but investing in extensions gave me newfound confidence. Worth every penny.

Cool Trans Girl First Hard Launch (January 2024)

I quit sex work after getting caught up in a police investigation—yes, I had unknowingly been in contact with the Long Island Serial Killer.

But out of that chaos, Cool Trans Girl was born. My dream took shape.

Facial Feminization Surgery (March 2024)

Five years into my transition, I struggled with intense facial dysphoria. It was hard to look at myself in photos without crying.

This surgery saved my life. I share my full experience with Dr. Bradley on YouTube and the podcast.

Life as it Stands (February 2025)

After a smooth recovery, life hit me hard—every bad choice I’d made seemed to catch up with me at once. But I survived. More than that—I thrived.

Painful experiences aren’t just survivable; they can become the soil where your greatest growth begins. You can’t control what happens to you, but you can always control how you rise.

You’re stronger than you know.