POLITICAL TRIP ACROSS THE COUNTRY

From the time I was old enough to understand politics, political stances, and discrimination, I wanted to move to California. In October 2023, that dream became a reality. We touched down in San Diego California and it was clear then that we might as well be in a foreign country. The diverse population was refreshing, and the food options were amazing. Our hotel was fifteen minutes from the beach, and I was ready to start this chapter of my life.

The move to California was not for a job or fun, it was due to my need for a double organ transplant and a lack of hospitals that could provide me with proper care. My wife and I knew we were in for the fight of our lives. The hospital in Virginia had given me three to six months to live and California increased that number by a significant amount. I was at the hospital one day and I had always heard that California was transgender friendly but for the first time I saw someone in a shirt that said, “Protect Trans Kids”. It made my day. I later did some research and learned that I have housing, employment, and bathroom protection in California. This is not common, and I had never had those rights before. I finally felt safe to be myself and be open with people about my past. Politically I had found my safe zone. Then after a year of jumping through hoops, we received devastating news. UCSD had denied me for transplant at their hospital.

The rejection came like a brick to the face. Why string me along for a year if my anatomy was too complex? My anatomy never changed. After a couple of days of depression, my wife and I picked ourselves up and started trying to find another hospital. We came across Vanderbilt and they were willing to evaluate me to see if I was a candidate for transplant.

After a couple of months of planning and setting appointments, we drove from California to Tennessee in a Kia Forte with two cats and a 70-pound dog. It was an amazing adventure, even though it was a tight fit. However, as we drove, I could feel the political climate change from state to state.

By the time we hit Arizona, I knew my rights were gone but I had lived in this area for over 5 years in my 20’s and learned that while Arizona is a conservative state, they pretty much minded their own business if you didn’t try and take away their guns. We saw Phoenix, drove up, and saw the Grand Canyon and it was an amazing start to our trip. We not only got to experience the Grand Canyon, but we got to share it with our rescue dog Cooper where people asked to meet him, and he made lots of new friends.

Then after a day of rest at the hotel, we continued east. We drove through New Mexico and while it was beautiful to see I can’t say the feel was much different than Arizona.

As we followed Interstate 40 East, I began to feel like my body shook and as I saw the sign that said “Welcome to Texas” I knew the climate had drastically changed. As the sign disappeared in the back window, I looked at my wife and said until you see “Welcome to Oklahoma” don’t stop. In Texas, I have no rights, and while some will accept me that is the exception, not the norm. In 2024, there were at least 4 transgender individuals murdered in Texas. While my voice is deep and I have a scruffy beard, it was still nerve-racking just being in Texas. It was like a breath of fresh air when we exited Texas.

We stayed in Oklahoma City Oklahoma for one night and then we decided we would drive to Nashville.

When we arrived in Nashville, we were focused on getting my testing done and figuring out if we were staying there or going back to California. Once things settled, I started reading the newspaper again and the state I had just moved to is making national news for how poorly they are treating their trans community and the impact that politicians think they have the right to dictate the proper road for my kids. It hit me like a ton of brick. Then add on to it the anti-trans campaigning done in the 2024 election. I cannot understand how any parent would want anything other than for their kid to find their own definition of happiness and live that life to the fullest. Stop letting politicians do your parenting for you. It will be the death of your children.

I speak from experience when I say that being a trans kid is incredibly hard and emotionally rattling. We push so hard to survive from one day to the next and those who are lucky enough to have parents that will allow them the option of hormone blockers until they are adults are giving their children a gift. I realize trans identity is a variation on the idea of two genders, but gender roles are human-made and defined and who are we to say those people got the definition correct? I firmly believe in the gender spectrum, and we all fall somewhere on it. Why do we all have to fit in a cookie-cutter box? When in history have, we ever complied with that? Listen to your children, forget how you were raised, forget your phobias and bigotry. Allow everyone to live happily and encourage them to be their best. I guarantee it takes a far better person to encourage than to bully, mock, and torture the different.

Brayden Mann is a thirty-five-year-old transman. He found his passion for writing in middle school and that passion has carried through to his adult years. He is passionate about saving animals and is working on launching an animal sanctuary with his wife. Brayden enjoys having quiet time reading and exploring new topics. He keeps to himself but is always willing to lend a helping hand.