Wendlley, a 35-year-old Brazilian migrant, began transitioning from male to female six years ago in Melbourne.
Jakob, now 20, started his transition from female to male at the age of 12, with the support of his Brazilian family on the Gold Coast.
Both Jakob and Wendlley said they had no regrets.
“In June 2022, I had a double mastectomy. I had zero second thoughts, nor was I scared that I would in the future,” Jakob said.
“It’s difficult to explain but I never felt like my breasts were part of my body, so it’s like how can I miss something that was never mine to begin with?”
I feel like it’s a type of disassociation I developed in order to cope with the body I am in. It’s been two years since my surgery and I still admire my chest in the mirror, I don’t think I’ll ever regret it.
Jakob
Seventeen-year-old Jakob with his mother, Luciana. Source: Supplied / Jakob
For Wendlley, the transition process is unique and personal for everyone.
“Surgeries are a very personal thing and it’s not everyone who wants to go through that,” she said.
“We are more than just our genitals so it’s not having a surgery that is going to make us less woman or less trans in general.
For her, asking about surgeries unless you were close to a person is completely “inappropriate”.
“I don’t think anyone needs to share that information unless it is someone they are going to sleep with,” she said.
“It limits people to their genitals and we are way more than that. We are your friends, we are your work colleagues, we are your love interest, we are your family.”
Jakob: ‘I feel like I’ve been able to let go of that and present myself in a way that is acceptable and natural to me.’ Credit: Supplied/Jakob
Jakob shared in his first interview that if he had possessed the vocabulary and understanding at the age of four, he would have told his parents sooner that he was trans.
“I am 20 years old now and I’ve noticed I’m more comfortable in my own skin now,” he said.
In her first interview, Wendlley shared that at the age of 16, she came out as a gay man, and at 32, she came out as a trans woman. She also confided that, since childhood, she had known there was something different about her.
Now, at 35, she said she felt like the world could “see me for who I am in the inside”.
Wendlley (fourth, left) with her family: ‘I told my family by showing (them) my first interview with SBS Portuguese.’ Credit: Supplied
Both Wendlley and Jakob said their first interview with SBS Portuguese had led to positive outcomes.
Wendlley said the interview helped her to reconnect with her family in Brazil.
“It was a positive reaction from everyone because I didn’t tell them before,” she said.
“The interview went out and I wanted them to read it. I received messages from my dad saying that he was really proud of me for being who I am and for just being happy and trying to inspire people by being open about my transition.”
In addition, she received positive messages on her social media and even helped a person to start navigating their own transition.
Jakob had a similar experience. “A few of my teachers told me they had seen it and were proud of me,” he said.
“On top of that, the interview sparked conversations in my friend group about transgender people that were helpful to their understandings about this topic.”
When people approach the topic respectfully, I will answer any and every question.
Jakob
Although Jakob believes his experience with transition was relatively smooth, he acknowledged that, whether in Brazil or Australia, there was still limited information available on the topic.
As a result, he said he was often forced to take on the role of educator.
Taking on the educator role
“There aren’t enough mainstream resources or outlets educating people on trans issues or even how to talk about them — that leaves a lot of us taking on the educator role and answering those uncomfortable questions,” he said.
“I don’t feel obligated to answer anyone’s questions, but when people approach the topic respectfully, I will answer any and every question in hopes of normalising transgenderism.”
Jakob (left) and family: ‘People may doubt you and make you feel invalid … remember, those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.’ Source: Supplied / Jakob
According to a recent scientific study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the majority of transgender adolescents and young adults who chose to undergo gender transition using hormones did not regret their decision with a satisfaction rate of 97 per cent for this age group.
“I am perfectly happy with the age I started to transition, at 12 with the support of my family,” Jakob said.
The Sex Discrimination Act prohibits discrimination based on gender identity in Australia.
Jakob said if people identified as transgender, they should know that they’re not alone and that Australia had laws and services to protect and support them.
“This is an unfamiliar concept to many communities, but transgender people have existed for thousands of years, so if you feel alone in this, I promise you’re not,” he said.
