"With a relatively supportive environment, I was able to go 'full time' just before my 17th birthday. ...Since then, life has definitely been much better than before, at least in some ways. ...But then, there's something not quite normal. Something is missing. A life force that I used to have, I don't have anymore. It seems that nothing feels really wrong, but things aren't entirely right either. And without this life force, things don't function properly."

"Now that the trans 'problem' has been dealt with, you would think I would be able to move forward with whatever dreams I may have had. That all the 'missing out' would be over. Sadly, it's not so simple. Being trans means that I lack confidence. If my friends found out, would they desert me? If I start dating, when my boyfriend finds out, will he leave? More scarily, will he become violent? It's fears like these that prevent me from doing many things these days."

"What really prevented me from going for my dreams? Why have I not even think about them in recent years? And can I really revive them now?"

"It appears that it is often our environment that has forced us to give up on our dreams. But why? ...It was fear that prevented us from moving forward with our dreams. And it's often irrational fear that had no basis in reality."

"As I read through the stories, something hit me. Every one of these stories are beautiful because they represent how each name came to mean something to the person, to the point where they became good enough to become a representation of the person. The same thing happened with me and my name. I didn't just decide to become a Katie overnight, after all."

"I guess the fear of public embarrassment about being trans is still very much with me. And if I am to chase my dreams, I must conquer it."

"But there's another kind of fear which affects me much more in my daily functioning: fear of being discredited as a person. Fear of being seen as a freak."

"Basically, I am the girl next door. I am not weird or 'edgy' in any way. I am also a low maintenance person, and I like how that means I am not stressed out about how I appear all the time. I don't even care about fashion that much. Another thing is, I love my family. Our relationship was tested during my coming out and early transition, but now it's stronger than ever. I am especially close to my mom. I think I should put that down too, as it's an important part of who I am."

"Should I say that I am trans? Probably not. I am worried that people will see me in a particular way. Out there in the big world, there are a few trans stereotypes. ...And I am definitely not paranoid about trans people being boxed into stereotypes by the world out there. Even friends do it."

"But what if I start going stealth? Then I would have the freedom to pursue my dreams AND not have to worry about trans stereotyping. Should I do it? How will my life change?"

"Cutting off my friends, even destroying memories of my past? I don't think I can do that. And living in the way described by Diana would prevent me from chasing my dreams. So I have decided: stealth is definitely not for me. Case closed."

"There's a lot of 'politics' around being trans. And it's not just from the haters. It's from within the trans community itself too. I don't think I can really identify with all that. Sometimes I'm also scared that if I say the wrong thing about being trans, I would end up being caught up in trans politics."

"The truth is, trans people come from diverse life paths, and have diverse life experiences. There is no 'one trans narrative'. Some trans women are quite feminine, like myself. Others may not be. Some like guys, and some like girls. Some are feminists, some are not. Some are political about being trans, some are not. As a result, we also have different beliefs about various things."

"I guess I am not ready to put a label on what I actually am, as yet. Presenting yourself to the outside world and getting the message right is a difficult art. More so if you are trans. I guess I am taking the long road."

"Dreams are for the long term in life anyway, and right now I am just living life day by day, and seeing what happens along the way. I guess a lot of trans people live this way too. In a life with such unique challenges, I guess it's a good philosophy to have."