Deserts Have Life

One misconception people may have about the desert is that there is no life. To the untrained eye, the surroundings is nothing more than a barren wasteland. A number of years ago, I drove through central and western Kansas and eastern Colorado. The topography of the land was sandy, dotted with sagebrush, tumbleweed, and oil wells. There is also animal life with coyote, foxes, toads, and other desert denizens.

Transgender people can be made to feel as if they are stranded in the desert. We may feel that our lives are empty, barren, and pointless. What I love about the desert is the many varieties of plant life. Despite the seemingly harsh environment these plant thrive and survive. We are also a diverse people who have thrived and survived some very harsh environments. Persecution from religious and medical institutions, from governments who seek our extinction, and people who deny us equality have not stamped us out.

There was a time when we were confined to the deserts of society. Yet, we thrived and survived. I wandered in the desert for 57 years and survived. When my trans identity broke through the soil, I was set free. During the time, I comprehended , struggled and perservered. When dry periods come, remember that there's much life in you ready to blossom.

Genevieve