I am WHO I AM

the history tells to the freedom of self-determination

At 3 years old, Luca started to show behaviours labelled as “feminine”. He refused to play with toys or to wear clothes that were “strictly masculine”, a discomfort that often led to hysterical episodes. His body didn’t match the identity he recognized as his own, on the contrary, it felt like a burden to him. He felt trapped in something which didn’t belong to him, and it disgusted him. His family realized they weren’t ready nor capable of addressing this delicate and unpredictable moment by themselves, so they contact the S.A.I.F.P. Association, established in order to support those who want to start the journey which will allow them to rectify the gender they were assigned at birth, providing them a guide and assistance. From that moment on, the process towards the blockage of the child’s puberty, as well as the onset of masculine traits (which doesn’t have any consequence on the individual), begun.
In these kinds of situation, the help and the cooperation of family and friends is vital, even though, sadly, it often can’t be taken for granted. In this specific case, the role of his mother has been and will continue to be fundamental in the process of helping Luca to become a woman. His path is already traced and is likely to be hard and tortuous. It’s a physical and psychological condition which both research and studies still struggle to identify, but it sure leads to the freedom of self-determination.
The story that I decided to share is aimed at putting an end on erroneous judgments regarding the topic. Avoiding talking about the change in the right terms and aspects leads to taboos, discrimination, and bullying. On the contrary, it is important to talk about it, so that everyone can face the reality as it is: young people choose to change their gender because they do not recognize the one they were assigned at birth as their own.