Why I must come out | Geena Rocero (re-release)

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Elise Hugh. Today is the International Transgender Day. Of visibility. Founded in two thousand nine by activist Rachel Clay. It was created to combat the discrimination that transgender and non-binary people. Across the world. And to celebrate and honor the resilience, joy, and accomplishments of trans folk everyone. We are resharing a talk that is as moving today as it was more than a decade ago.

From model, director, and activist Gina Rossero. She shares her story of becoming who she always knew she was. Because of my success, I never had the courage to share my story not because I thought what I am is wrong but because how the world treats those of us who wish to break free. I'm here at this stage because I it's a long history of people who fought and stood up for injustice. Today

This very moment is my real coming out. And stick around afterwards for a brief onstage QA between Gina and journalist Kathryn. That's all coming up right after a short break. Du har hört nyheterna, men det finns alltid mer att säga. I polisens nya podd, bortom rubrikerna, går vi längre. Situella händelser, brottsutveckling och polisens arbetssätt. Lyssna på bortom rubrikerna där podd finns. Displag. By Wise, the app for international people using money around the world.

With WISE, you can send, spend, and receive in over 40 currencies with no markups or hidden fees. Whether you're sending pounds across the Spending rails and rios. gig you'll get the mid-market exchange rate on every transaction join 15 million customers internationally be smart get wise download the wise app today or visit wise.com tease and c supply Du kan ha en arbetsskadeförsäkring. Kollektivavtal utan att veta om. Avtalat samhäll.

And now our TED Talk of the day. The world makes you something that you're not. But you know inside what you are. And that question burns in your heart. How will you become that? I may be someone unique in this, but I am not alone. Not alone at all. So when I became a fashion model, I felt that I finally achieved the dream that I've always wanted since I was a young child. My outside self finally matched my inner truth. My inner self.

At that time I felt like, Gina, you've done it, you've made it, you have arrived. But this past October, I realized that I'm only just beginning. All of us are put in boxes by our family, by our religion, by our society, our moment in history, even our own bodies. Some people have the courage to break free not to accept the limitations imposed by the colour of their skin or by the beliefs by those that surround them.

those people are always the threat to the status quo, to what is considered acceptable. In my case, for the last nine years Some of my neighbors, some of my friends, colleagues, even my agent did not know about my history. I think in mystery this is called a reveal. Here is mine. I was assigned boy at birth based on the appearance of my genitalia. I remember when I was five years old in the Philippines walking around our house, I would always wear this t shirt in my head.

And my mom asked me, How come you always wear that T shirt in your head? I said, Mom, this is my hair, I'm a girl. I knew then how to self identify. Gender has always been considered a fact, immutable. What we now know is actually more fluid, complex, and mysterious. Because of my success, I never had the courage to share my story. Not because I thought what I am is wrong, but because how the world treats those of us who wish to break free.

Every day I am so grateful because I am a woman. I have a mom and dad and family who accepted me for who I am. Many are not so fortunate. There's a long tradition in ancient culture that celebrates the fluid mystery of gender. There's a Buddhist goddess of compassion. There's a Hindu um goddess, Hitra goddess. So when I was eight years old, I was at a fiesta in the Philippines celebrating this mystery.

I was in front of this stage and I remember out comes this beautiful woman right in front of me and I remember that moment, something hit me. That is the kind of woman I would like to be. So when I was fifteen years old, still dressing as a boy, I met this woman named T L. She is a transgender beauty pageant manager.

That night she asked me, How come you were not joining the beauty pageant? She convinced me that if I joined that she will take care of the registration fee and the garments. And that night I won best in swimsuit and best in long gown and place second runner up amongst forty plus candidates. That moment changed my life. All of a sudden I was introduced to the world of beauty pageant. Not a lot of people could say that your first job is a pageant queen for transgender women, but I'll take it.

So from fifteen to seventeen years old I joined the most prestigious pageant to the pageant where it's at the back of the truck literally and or sometimes it would be a pavement next to a rice field and when it rains, which it rains a lot in the Philippines. The organizers will have to move it inside someone's house.

I also experienced the goodness of strangers, especially when we would travel in remote province in the Philippines. But most importantly, I met some of my best friends in that community.

In two thousand one, my mom who had moved to San Francisco called me and told me that my green card petition came through that I could now move to United States. I resisted it. I told my mom, Mom, I'm having fun. I'm here with my friends. I love traveling, being a beauty pageant queen. But then two weeks later she called me, she said Did you know that if you moved to the United States you could change your name and gender marker? That was all I needed to hear.

My mom also told me to put two E's in the spelling of my name. She also came with me when I had my surgery in Thailand at nineteen years old. It's interesting, in some of the most rural city in Thailand they perform some of the most prestigious, safe and sophisticated surgery. At that time in United States you needed to have a surgery before you could change your name and gender marker.

So in 2001, I moved to San Francisco. And I remember looking up my California driver's license with the name Gina and gender marker F. That was a powerful moment. I mean, for some people their ID is their license to drive or even to get a drink. But for me that was my license to live, to feel dignified. I mean all of a sudden my fears were minimized. I felt that I could conquer my dream and move to New York and be a model. Many are not so fortunate.

I think of this woman named Eileen Nettles. She's from New York. She's a young woman who courageously living her truth, but hatred ended her life. For most of my community, this is the reality in which we live. Our suicide rate is nine times higher than that of a general population. Every November twentieth, we have a global vigil for transgender day of remembrance. I mean I'm here at this stage because I it's a long history of people who fought and stood up for injustice.

Today, this very moment is my real coming out. I could no longer live my truth for and by myself. I want to do my best to help others live their truth without shame and terror. I am here. Exposed so that one day there will never be a need for a November twentieth vigil. My deepest truth allowed me to accept who I am. Will you? Thank you very much. Obrigado.

Gina, one quick question for you. And I'm wondering what you would say, especially to parents. But in a more broad way to to friends, to family, to anyone who finds themselves encountering a child or a person who is struggling with and uncomfortable with the gender that's being assigned them, what might you say to the family members of that person to help them become good and caring and kind family members to them?

Well first really I'm so blessed. I mean the support system with my mom specially and my family, it that in itself is just just so powerful. I mean I remember every time I would coach young trans women, you know, would mentor them and Sometimes when they would call me and tell me that their parents can't accept it, I would pick up that phone call and tell my mom, Mom, can you call this woman? And like sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. So um but it's it's this

Gender identities in the core of our being, right? I mean, we're all assigned gender at birth. So what I'm trying to do is to have this conversation that Sometimes that gender assignment doesn't match and there should be a space that would allow people to self-identify. And that's a conversation that we should have with with parents, with colleagues. And the transgender movement, it's at the very beginning

to compare to how the cave movement started. There's still a lot of work that needs to be done. There should be an understanding. There should be a space of curiosity and asking questions in I hope all of you guys will be my allies. Thank you, those so lovely. Ed twenty fourteen. If you're curious about TED's curation, find out more at TED.com/slash curation guidelines. And that's it for today. TED Talks Daily is part of the TED Audio Collective. This episode was produced and edited by our team.

Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Brian Green, Lucy Little, and Tonsika Sungmar Nivong. Additional support from Emma Tobner and Daniela Ballery. I'm Elise Hugh. I'll be back tomorrow with a fresh idea for your feed. Thanks for listening. اشتركوا في القناة Här hör vi hjärtslagen. Vi säger, vi finns här när du vill räkna på bolån. För allt. Ta på dig att besöka platserna ingen annan ser, högt uppe bland skorstenarna.

Ta på dig att förebygga bränder och berätta om hur man äldrar säkert. Ta på dig uppgiften. Utbilda dig till Sotare. Lä som utbildningen på mf.se. Myndigheten för civilt försvar. Gör dina vårfyn.