Being transgender in the deep south makes college an entirely different struggle opposed to high school. For me, at least, I haven't been able to be my true self despite how freeing college can be for a lot of people. Due to my inability to transition, I find myself less involved in campus activities or searching for means of paying for college outside of financial aid and the Chapter 35.

I fear I'll be rejected during the application process if it's found out I am transgender. Many scholarships I've found ask for your gender or sex, and it makes me feel intensely dysphoric to check "female" when submitting it. I fear institutions won't be accepting of me and other queer students, and that I'll be forced out of my education due to intolerance.

Further, I also find it difficult to find a job for much the same reasons I find it difficult to apply for scholarships. If my employer learns I'm queer, especially where I live, I could be fired and lose the money I'd be putting toward my education. I'm not in a safe position to transition, and won't be for quite some time.

I have felt unsafe on my previous campus more times than I'd like to admit. I've been outed to people who I'm certain had intent to hurt me, but were stopped by those who accepted me. I feel trapped inside myself when I have to introduce myself to classmates under a name and pronouns I feel intensely sickened by. It becomes tiring trying to gage whether someone is a bigot or not—and I find it hurts my mental wellbeing to the point of depression and harmful thoughts toward myself.

Mine is only one perspective and experience being a transgender person trying to attend college in an area that doesn't take kindly to LGBTQ+ individuals. That's why I'm applying for the #TransgenderFirst scholarship—so that I can more easily and safely pursue my education.