Girls have to wear pink, boys, of course, wear blue. Only women can wear skirts. But those skirts can’t be too short.

It’s all preconceived nonsense. But, sadly, we live in a world that has a hard time accepting people who don’t dress like their birth gender, don’t live a heterosexual lifestyle, or who identify as LGBTQIA.

Gradually, very gradually, people are becoming more accustomed to individuals who identify as LGBTQIA. That’s partly because more people, such as Jaimie Wilson, are talking about their appearance, sexuality, and transition.

We recently connected with Wilson, a musician who transitioned from female to male, over transitioning and how people who are transitioning can deal with people who are—let’s be honest—rude as heck.

EcoSalon: What’s your advice for someone transitioning if they don’t have a lot of support from their family?

Jaimie Wilson: I had no support from my family at all. So first of all, you’re not alone. Secondly, you can do this without them. You don’t need anyone in your life who isn’t supporting your life choices or who isn’t happy for you for being true to yourself. My parents were so concerned with what other people would think of me when I started dressing masculine and cut my hair. They loved the female I presented as before my transition. They didn’t love me. It’s going to be hard losing them, but it’s so worth it to be your true self. It’s not their life, it’s your life.

EcoSalon: How do you deal with inappropriate questions about your transition, and how you look?

Jaimie Wilson: I get inappropriate questions all the time. Strangers are always asking me about my genitals; some out of innocent curiosity, some because they have interest in transitioning, and some want to know because they have it stuck in their mind that penis = man, and vagina = girl. I usually don’t answer questions about what’s in my pants because unless we are sleeping together, you never need to know what I’m working with.

EcoSalon: Any other advice concerning how people can eliminate their preconceived notions about transitioning and people who associate as transgender?

Jaimie Wilson: The biggest misconception is, I guess, you have to “look” the part. I don’t agree. I presented very feminine before I transitioned and people didn’t believe me when I came out. You don’t have to show “signs” of being transgender. I played the part of a feminine girl because that’s what I thought I HAD to do.

I never thought the possibility of transitioning would ever happen for me, so I had to be convincingly female for my family—I didn’t hate myself or my body before my transition. It just never really felt like home to me. I knew I was attractive as a female, so, I just worked with what I had, not knowing I’d ever be able to change. Everyone’s transition is different, though. There is no right or wrong way to transition. Gender is a spectrum and not everyone fits 100 percent male or 100 percent female.

Just be YOU.

Check out Jaimie Wilson’s Instagram account here.

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