My name is Ray Aiken and here’s part of my story.
There was always something I knew about myself that didn’t define me OR my twin like it did other children. We were given birth by a 14 year old girl who incidentally had a child 3 years prior to having us. That’s when our real mother three weeks later walked into our lives. I said real mother NOT my biological. There’s a huge difference. She was our saving grace. I was born a boy in a baby girls body( I know, cliché time) My body felt like an ill-fitting garment that just felt uncomfortable all the time. Growing up I identified as hard core “butch”. Me and my twin did and it was crazy because it was just normal to us. We both liked girls. But it ran deeper than a girl liking girls because I didn’t feel like I was female at all. When I came out at the age of 14 my mother simply said ‘ I knew it, I was just waiting for you to tell me”. My mother Ruth Edmondson was the most supportive, understanding and true believer in God. She didn’t judge me or threaten to throw me out because I came out as gay, her worry was that somebody would hurt me for being different. I always knew I was trans but it wasn’t a name for it when I was growing up.
I finally had top surgery on my late sisters birthday May 21st 2018. That’s when I was FREE! Free from those massive mounds of flesh that kept screaming FEMALE, MISS, GIRL, WOMAN or MA’AM! All which I hated. I am often asked why did I wait so long, I didn’t know that I had options. As far as dating I’m not sure what I want to do. Would I date a trans woman? Absolutely. She’s still a woman but I need to start looking.
So here I am a 54 year old transman of color, that has a twin who is also trans! God or whatever is your Highest Power so happens to be is GREAT! I am grateful that my journey started out with that woman named Ruth that was to be my mother showed me how great I am and not be afraid to be WHO I AM. That went for both of us, me Ray C Aiken and my twin Sheryl Aiken.
Invisible Men 