Dear Diary: I Am Trash
Surviving trans conversion therapy
Published in
10 min readFeb 9, 2022
CW: transphobia, disordered eating, SA, hospitalization
In a mental institution for boys, a young trans girl isn’t trash. She’s a prize.
Note: this article is also available as a video
Anorexia was the word my doctors used
In the Fall of 1996, my dad drove me, his thirteen-year-old transgender daughter, to the mental institution I’d call home for the next two years (offsite to Oak Circle Center).
No way out. But then again, no desire to leave.
Our God is a cruel god
The car’s speakers played the song that defined my dad’s identity: “Our God is an Awesome God!” (YouTube)
The lyrics, like the man who repeated them, were simple.
Our God is an awesome God…
