My Coming out story - Pride Month

Happy Pride Month everybody ! ! Just remember you are valid and important.

Big personal news this week

I am now a community news reader for TransRadio UK ! !

My Coming Out Story

A friend of mine started this on Facebook so I decided to do my own in celebration of Pride. Here is my coming out story.

Name : Kira Herdman

Yes this is my legal name, I changed it via Deedpoll and I am Transgender.

I knew I was different when I was 5. There was 2 problems, Section 28 and religious family. I didn’t even know what Transgender or even LGBT was until I was 20.

I have always thought I was Bi and I had my first experience with a man at the age of 20 when I was in the Army, based in Tidworth, Wiltshire. No one knew as I was straight acting and more attracted to women than men. It stayed this way until a few years ago.

The only person who knew I was Bi was my sister. I told her about 8 years ago that I was. About 3 years ago my niece came out as lesbian but was shy about it so I decided to come out publicly to support her. It seemed to help her. I was in a relationship at the time as well, though my then GF had problems with it.

During the pandemic I found out my ex was cheating on me so we split up. All this time, I have felt I was in the wrong body, never really took good care of myself, always liked pink, liked dolls over action figures etc. The only manly thing I really liked was computers.

I knew I was in the wrong body, hated the fact I can grow a beard, was going bald, hairy legs, flat chest, adam’s apple and other things.

I was unhappy in myself. When I split up from my ex I thought, my life is going no where, I need to sort this out.

So I came out as Transgender, at first I told my sister and niece, they are both supportive of it. Then my cousin’s other half also told he she is Bi, which I would have never guessed. This was March last year.

In the year since coming out as Transgender, I have never been happier than I am in myself today. Last week I finally got rid of all my “Man” clothes that I had left. I dress as a woman, because I know I am a woman inside my head.

Yes I have Gender Dysphoria, yes I have found it hard and suffered alone as I was ashamed of it. But one Neighbour has been very supportive. I know she will read this, all I can say is thank you. You may not realize this but I am alive thanks to you. This is how bad Gender Dysphoria can get.

Since coming out as Transgender I have noticed I take a lot more pride in my appearance, I take a lot better care in myself. For instance I never used to use creams, now I feel dirty if I have not put any on in the morning, even after a bath. I never used deodorants (well I hardly used any) now I hate not smelling nice. I take more pride in my home as well, keep it more clean than I used to. In other words, I have finally become alive, not just living.

Also I have come to realize I am 90% attracted to women and 10% to men. Does this make me bi or lesbian, I don’t know. All I do know is a man has to be exceptional for me to go out with them.

Yes I still have problems, I have PTSD after all from my time in the Army, but even that is easier at times, even though I still go quiet a lot (sorry).

This is my coming out story. This is how I, Kira, now lives her true self and finally can stop pretending to be someone I am not.

Happy Pride.