The world's A STAGE

Role playing with my friends in primary school, I declared to everyone: ‘My character is going to be a woman!’

My mates were all 10, so none of them questioned my desire to be female.

We were all just young children, having fun with imaginary play.

Only, my yearning to be a female came from a much deeper place.

From a very young age, I used to think: Why can’t I just be one of the girls?

I didn’t want to be called Joseph or Joe, and walking into the boy’s toilets didn’t feel right.

I loved football and I was quite androgynous, but I wasn’t comfortable in my own