Once I realised the only way to ever be happy or at peace as a person was to transition, then my real battle began. For me, the steps I’ve had to take in order to transition hormonally and socially have been a huge burden on me financially. Trans people such as myself still face high levels of transphobia all over the world. This can lead to high unemployment rates and homelessness, as well as increased rates of mental health issues. In Australia, 25% of transgender people report current feelings of suicidal ideation compared with 2.7% of the general population. Up to 50% of trans people have actually attempted suicide at least once in their lives. To overcome all of this, and to then have the finances to comfortably transition, is an uncommon occurrence for transgender people. I was unemployed for a very long time in my twenties. This was probably due to a combination of lack of skill, lack of direction and bouts of depression I suffered on and off for many years, partly due …